Construction machinery

Abstract

The present invention provides a construction machine equipped with a rotational position detection device capable of detecting the rotational position of the upper rotating body and the rotating leader. [Solution] A construction machine comprising a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the upper part of the lower traveling body via a rotating bearing 38, and a rotation position detection device 43 for detecting the rotation position of the upper rotating body relative to the lower traveling body, wherein the rotation position detection device comprises a colored portion (colored annular portion) 44 provided on the upper surface 29a of the center frame 29 of the lower traveling body, a color sensor 45 provided on the main frame 25 of the upper rotating body, and a controller 46 that identifies the rotation position based on the color of the colored portion identified by the color sensor, and the colored portion has a plurality of regions divided into unit rotation angle increments and colored differently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to construction machinery, and more particularly to construction machinery provided with a rotational position detection device for detecting the rotational positions of an upper slewing body and a rotating leader.

Background Art

[0002] Construction machinery such as pile drivers, earth drills, and cranes used at construction sites generally includes a lower traveling body equipped with crawlers, an upper slewing body on which a cab is mounted, and a working device provided at the front of the upper slewing body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such slewing construction machinery, the actual behavior when a forward / backward movement command is input depends on the direction of the lower traveling body and does not necessarily match the direction of the operator riding in the cab on the upper slewing body.

[0003] In addition, in large pile drivers of the three-point support type, those equipped with a rotating leader that rotates the leader around a central axis are known in order to perform construction efficiently (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0004] In recent years, the ICT adaptation of construction at construction sites has advanced, and in the technical field of position guidance as well, dedicated systems have been developed and are in operation. By following the guidance screen visually displayed, the operator of construction machinery can perform smooth driving operations while imagining the relationship between the current position and the target position (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

[0005] Also, in the technical field of position guidance, control devices that perform some operations by automatic driving are also being studied (see, for example, Patent Document 4).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0007] As ICT-based construction methods, such as position guidance, become more widespread, the need to detect the rotational position of the upper rotating body and the rotational position of the rotating leader is increasing year by year.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a construction machine equipped with a rotational position detection device capable of detecting the rotational position of the upper rotating body and the rotating leader. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the first configuration of the construction machine of the present invention is a construction machine comprising a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body rotatably provided on the upper part of the lower traveling body via a rotating bearing, and a rotation position detection device for detecting the rotation position of the upper rotating body relative to the lower traveling body, wherein the rotation position detection device comprises a colored section provided on the lower traveling body, a color sensor provided on the upper rotating body, and a controller for identifying the rotation position based on the color of the colored section identified by the color sensor, and the colored section is characterized in that it has a plurality of regions divided into unit rotation angle increments and colored differently.

[0010] Furthermore, a second configuration of the construction machine of the present invention is a construction machine comprising: a fixed leader provided at the front of an upper rotating body; a rotating leader provided on the upper part of the fixed leader so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range via a rotating bearing; and a rotation position detection device for detecting the rotation position of the rotating leader relative to the fixed leader, wherein the rotation position detection device comprises a colored section provided on the rotating leader; a color sensor provided on the fixed leader; and a controller for identifying the rotation position based on the color of the colored section identified by the color sensor, and the colored section is characterized in that it has a plurality of regions divided into unit rotation angle increments and colored differently.

[0011] Furthermore, the colored portion includes a second colored portion arranged in parallel with the first colored portion formed by the plurality of regions, the second colored portion periodically arranges a plurality of regions that are divided into unit rotation angle increments smaller than the unit rotation angle and are colored differently, the color sensor consists of a first color sensor that identifies the color applied to the first colored portion and a second color sensor that identifies the color applied to the second colored portion, and the controller is characterized in that it determines the rotation position based on the combination of colors identified by the first color sensor and the second color sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the construction machine of the present invention, a colored section is provided on one side of a part whose rotational position changes relatively, and a color sensor is provided on the other side. The machine is equipped with a rotational position detection device in which the controller determines the rotational position based on the color of the colored section identified by the color sensor. This makes it possible to detect the rotational position of the upper rotating body and the rotating leader without contact and with a unit rotation angle (resolution) that provides positional accuracy, thus realizing a construction machine that meets the needs of ICT construction, such as position guidance.

[0013] In addition, two color sensors for identifying colors are provided respectively from two juxtaposed coloring parts, and the controller specifies the rotational position based on the combination of the colors identified by each color sensor, so that general-purpose color sensors with a small number of set colors can be used. As a result, with a relatively inexpensive configuration, it is possible to meet the requirements for position accuracy in various rotating parts, from a part with a limited rotational angle range such as a rotary reader to a part that rotates 360° such as an upper revolving body.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a side view of a construction machine showing a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is also a side view of the main part. [Figure 3] It is also a partial cross-sectional plan view of the lower traveling body. [Figure 4] [[ID=十七]]It is also an explanatory view of the coloring part. [Figure 5] It is also a schematic configuration diagram of the rotational position detection device. [Figure 6] It is also a graph showing the relationship between the detected color and the rotational angle. [Figure 7] It is a side view of a construction machine showing a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is also an enlarged side view of the main part. [Figure 9] It is also an enlarged plan view of the main part. [Figure 10] It is also an explanatory view of the coloring part. [Figure 11] It is also a schematic configuration diagram of the rotational position detection device. [Figure 12] It is also a graph showing the relationship between the detected color and the rotational angle.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Figs. 1 to 6 show a first exemplary embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a medium-sized pile driver, which is an example of a construction machine. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pile driver 11 includes a crawler-type lower traveling body 12 and an upper revolving body 14 that is rotatably provided on the lower traveling body 12 via a slewing bearing 13, which together form a base machine (airframe) 15. The pile driver 11 also includes a leader 16 erected at the front of the upper revolving body 14 and a hoisting cylinder 17 that supports the leader 16 from behind.

[0016] At the front of the upper revolving body 14, a leader support 18 that supports the leader 16 so as to be able to rise and fall is provided. In addition, jacks 19 for stability with adjustable tension widths are provided at four locations on the front, rear, left, and right of the upper revolving body 14, and a counterweight 20 for balancing the pile driver 11 is mounted at the rear end of the upper revolving body 14.

[0017] The leader 16 is divided into a rotatable basic leader 21 pivotally supported by the leader support 18, an upper leader 22 connected to the upper part of the basic leader 21, and a lower leader 23 connected to the lower part of the basic leader 21. Further, the upper leader 22 is divided into a plurality of leader members, and a top sheave 24 is mounted at the upper end. Each leader member is detachably connected by bolts and nuts between flange members provided at the upper and lower ends. In addition, a working device (not shown) is mounted on the front surface of the leader 16 so as to be able to rise and fall.

[0018] The upper revolving body 14 has a body frame in which a rectangular box-shaped main frame 25 to which a slewing bearing (outer ring side) 13 is attached on the lower surface and floor frames 26 (the opposite side is not shown) framed on both sides in the width direction of the main frame 25 are integrally joined. A cab 27 for an operator to board is installed at the front on the right floor frame. In addition, a equipment housing (not shown) for accommodating hydraulic equipment is provided at the rear on the right floor frame. On the other hand, an engine housing 28 for accommodating related equipment such as an engine power unit and an exhaust gas purification device attached thereto is provided on the left floor frame 26.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the lower traveling body 12 comprises a track frame 31 consisting of a rectangular box-shaped center frame 29 to which a slewing bearing (inner ring side) 13 is attached, and a pair of axles 30, 30 provided at the front and rear of the center frame 29 in the longitudinal direction of the traveling body (left-right direction in Figure 3), respectively, and a pair of side frames 32, 32 supported at both ends of each axle 30, 30 which are spaced apart from each other, so as to be slidable along the axle in the width direction of the traveling body (up-down direction in Figure 3), and a pair of spanner cylinders 33, 33 which expand and contract (slide) the side frames 32 along the axle 30.

[0020] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the slewing bearing 13, positioned between the lower traveling body 12 and the upper slewing body 14, is assembled so as to be rotatable relative to the inner ring slewing bearing case, which is an inner case 13a fixed to the central upper surface 29a of the center frame 29 with mounting bolts 34 and nuts 35, and the outer case 13b fixed to the central lower surface 25a of the main frame 25 with mounting bolts 36 and nuts 37, via a plurality of bearing balls (rotating bearings) 38 provided in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, an internal gear is formed on the inner circumference of the inner case 13a, and the gear of a slewing drive motor (not shown) mounted on the upper slewing body 14 meshes with the internal gear, causing the upper slewing body 14 to rotate (slewing) horizontally relative to the lower traveling body 12 by the rotation of the slewing drive motor.

[0021] When the pile driver 11 is used for the purpose of burying steel pipe piles, the leader 16 is positioned upright in a pile driving position, and the steel pipe pile is rotated and pressed into the ground by obtaining driving force from the work device. For this purpose, the pile driver 11 is equipped with a rotation position fixing device 39 that can fix the upper rotating body 14 at any position during operation. This rotation position fixing device 39 consists of a braked plate 40 that is concentric with the rotation center provided on the upper rotating body 14, and a pair of front and rear clamping devices 41, 41 provided on the lower traveling body 12 that clamp the braked plate 40.

[0022] The braking plate 40 has multiple plate members formed by dividing an annular shape at predetermined positions, taking into consideration ease of assembly. In this embodiment, it is formed by combining a pair of split members 40a, 40a, and as shown in Figure 5, the radial base end is bolted to the lower surface of the outer case 13b, and the tip end protrudes to the outside of the outer case 13b. In addition, the pair of split members 40a, 40a are spaced apart in the circumferential direction at their joints (both end faces), providing two gaps. Figure 5 shows one of the two gaps, gap 42, that is, it shows the end face of the split member 40a as seen from the circumferential direction. The clamping device 41 is the same as the configuration described in Patent Document 1, and details such as structure and operating principle can be found therein.

[0023] The pile driver 11 configured in this way is equipped with a rotation position detection device 43 that detects the rotational position of the upper rotating body 14 relative to the lower traveling body 12, as a measure of ICT construction compatibility, such as position guidance. As shown in Figure 5, the rotation position detection device 43 has a colored part 44 (see also Figure 3) provided on the center frame 29 of the lower traveling body 12, a color sensor 45 provided on the main frame 25 of the upper rotating body 14, and a controller 46 that identifies the rotational position (relative rotational position) of the upper rotating body 14 relative to the lower traveling body 12 based on the color of the colored part 44 identified by the color sensor 45.

[0024] The colored portion 44 is an annular portion colored along the outer circumference of the slewing bearing 13 on the upper surface 29a of the center frame 29, and as shown in Figure 4, it consists of, for example, a first annular colored portion 44a centered on the slewing axis O and a second annular colored portion 44b arranged coaxially just outside it. Each colored portion 44a, 44b is formed by painting, applying a seal, or the like.

[0025] The first colored section 44a has eight regions C1 to C8, which are divided into 45° increments within the rotation angle range (360°) of the upper rotating body 14. Each region C1 to C8 is colored differently; for example, region C1 is colored red, region C2 is colored orange, region C3 is colored yellow, region C4 is colored yellow-green, region C5 is colored green, region C6 is colored light blue, region C7 is colored blue, and region C8 is colored purple.

[0026] The second colored section 44b has a region corresponding to the rotation angle range (360°) of the upper rotating body 14, which is divided into 72 sections with a unit rotation angle smaller than that of the first colored section 44a, in 5° increments. Nine consecutive regions C1 to C9 are grouped together and arranged periodically in the circumferential direction (in this embodiment, the unit rotation angle of the first colored section is considered one period). Each region C1 to C9 is colored a different color; for example, region C1 is "red", region C2 is "orange", region C3 is "yellow", region C4 is "yellow-green", region C5 is "green", region C6 is "light blue", region C7 is "blue", region C8 is "purple", and region C9 is "white". Therefore, the second colored section 44b has one more color (9 colors) than the first colored section 44a (8 colors), and the eight colors (each color in regions C1 to C8), excluding that one color (white in region C9), are common to the coloring of the first colored section 44a (each color in regions C1 to C8).

[0027] The color sensor 45 is a well-known optical sensor capable of identifying colors by detecting the amount of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light received, as shown in Figure 5. It consists of a first color sensor 45a that identifies the color applied to the first colored section 44a and a second color sensor 45b that identifies the color applied to the second colored section 44b. Each color sensor 45a and 45b is designed to identify up to nine colors (same component) and is integrally mounted to the main frame 25 via a mounting bracket (not shown). Its orientation is adjusted so that light emitted from a built-in light source illuminates the colored section 44 (regions C1 to C9) perpendicularly. In this embodiment, since the outer diameter of the swivel bearing 13 and the inner diameter of the colored section 44 are approximately equal, the placement of the color sensor 45 is considered such that the light emitted from the light source passes through the gap 42 of the braked plate 40. That is, the color sensor 45 is installed directly above the gap 42 (Figure 5). The color identification information identified by the color sensor 45 is transmitted to the controller 46 via a wired connection.

[0028] The controller 46 is incorporated, for example, as a component of the position guidance system described in Patent Document 3 or the automatic driving system described in Patent Document 4 (means for detecting attitude information of a pile driver), and includes a control unit (CPU) that executes a control program for detecting rotational position, and a memory unit. The memory unit stores a table that associates combinations of colors identified by the color sensor 45 with rotation angles, and the control unit refers to this table. That is, the controller 46 determines the rotational position (relative rotational position) of the upper rotating body 14 relative to the lower traveling body 12 based on the combinations of colors identified by the first color sensor 45a and the second color sensor 45b.

[0029] The reference table is pre-set based on a graph that defines the relationship between detected color and rotation angle, as shown in Figure 6. The solid line on the graph represents right rotation (right turn), and the dotted line represents left rotation (left turn). In this example, for example, the reference rotation position where the forward command (actual operation) and forward movement (actual behavior) of the pile driver 11 coincide, that is, the normal position for transporting the pile driver 11 towards the construction site, is defined as 0°.

[0030] The controller 46 determines that when the upper rotating body 14 rotates to the right (clockwise in Figure 4), the rotation position of the upper rotating body 14 has reached the reference rotation position (within the range of 0° to 5°) when the colors identified by the first color sensor 45a and the second color sensor 45b change to a combination of "red (C1)" and "red (C1)". On the other hand, when the upper rotating body 14 rotates to the left (counterclockwise in Figure 4), the controller 46 determines that the rotation position of the upper rotating body 14 has reached the reference rotation position (within the range of 0° to 5°) when the colors identified by each color sensor 45a and 45b change to a combination of "purple (C8)" and "white (C9)". Therefore, the controller 46 maintains the identified rotation angle as an error range, even if the upper rotating body 14 rotates to the right or left within a range where the color combination does not change (a range of 5° increments of unit rotation angle) at any rotation position of the upper rotating body 14.

[0031] For example, when the upper slewing body 14 is rotated to the right from the reference rotation position, and the colors identified by the color sensors 45a and 45b change to a combination of "yellow (C3)" and "red (C1)", the controller 46 determines that the rotation position of the upper slewing body 14 has reached 90° (within the range of 90° to 95°). From this state, when the upper slewing body 14 is rotated to the right again, and the colors identified by the color sensors 45a and 45b change to a combination of "green (C5)" and "red (C1)", the controller 46 determines that the rotation position of the upper slewing body 14 has reached 180° (within the range of 180° to 185°). In this state, an inconvenience occurs where the vehicle will move in reverse if a forward command (forward tilting of the lever) is given from the operator's perspective. Therefore, the system prompts the operator to take precautions regarding driving operations, for example, by displaying a message on the monitor screen in the driver's seat. These alarm functions continue as long as the set conditions are met, for example, when the rotational position of the upper rotating body 14 is within the range of 45° to 315°.

[0032] As the upper rotating body 14 rotates to the right, when the colors identified by the respective color sensors 45a and 45b change to a combination of "red (C1)" and "red (C1)", the controller 46 determines that the rotation position of the upper rotating body 14 has reached 360°, that is, the reference rotation position (0°) (within the range of 0° to 5°). In this way, the upper rotating body 14 rotates 360° to the right and returns to the reference rotation position. The same applies to left rotation. For example, when the upper rotating body 14 rotates to the left and the colors identified by each color sensor 45a, 45b change to a combination of "blue (C7)" and "white (C9)", the controller 46 determines that the rotation position of the upper rotating body 14 has reached 45° (within the range of 45° to 50°). Also, when the colors change to a combination of "light blue (C6)" and "white (C9)", the controller 46 determines that the rotation position of the upper rotating body 14 has reached 90° (within the range of 90° to 95°).

[0033] As described above, in the first configuration of the construction machine of the present invention, the lower traveling body 12 and the upper rotating body 14, whose rotational positions change relatively, are provided with a colored part 44 on the lower traveling body 12 and a color sensor 45 on the upper rotating body 14, and a rotational position detection device 43 is provided in which a controller 46 identifies the rotational position based on the color of the colored part 44 identified by the color sensor 45. This makes it possible to detect the rotational position of the upper rotating body 14 non-contact and with a unit rotation angle (resolution) that provides positional accuracy, thus realizing a construction machine that meets the needs of ICT construction, such as position guidance.

[0034] In particular, equipping the color sensor 45 on the upper rotating body 14 is advantageous for application to the rotating parts of construction machinery because it allows for the transmission of color identification information to the controller 46 via a wired connection and does not require mechanical contacts.

[0035] Furthermore, two color sensors 45a and 45b are provided, each identifying a color from two side-by-side colored sections 44a and 44b. The controller 46 determines the rotational position based on the color combination identified by each color sensor 45a and 45b, allowing the use of general-purpose color sensors with a limited number of set colors. As a result, it is possible to meet the positional accuracy requirements for a rotating part that rotates 360°, such as the upper rotating body 14, with a relatively inexpensive configuration.

[0036] Figures 7 to 12 show a second embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a large pile driver, which is an example of a construction machine. As shown in Figure 7, the pile driver 51 has a base machine (body) 54 formed by mounting an upper slewing body 53 on a crawler-type lower traveling body 52 via a slewing bearing so that it can rotate. A leader bracket 57 is provided at the front of the upper slewing body 53 to which a leader 55 and front jacks 56, 56 are attached, and an outrigger box 59 to which rear jacks 58, 58 are attached and a counterweight 60 mounted on the outrigger box 59 are provided at the rear end of the upper slewing body 53. Furthermore, the upper slewing body 53 has a driver's cab 61 and a power unit 62 consisting mainly of an engine power unit on the body frame, and a luffable gantry 63 is provided above the rear of the upper slewing body 53.

[0037] The leader 55 consists of a cylindrical fixed leader 64 pivotally supported by the leader bracket 57, and a cylindrical rotating leader 65 erected coaxially on the fixed leader 64 so as to be rotatable (i.e., rotatable within a predetermined angular range). A holder 66 is provided in the middle to rotatably hold the rotating leader 65, and the tips of a pair of left and right backstays 67, 67 erected on the upper surface of the arm of the rear jack 58 are connected to the rear of this holder 66. In addition, a pair of left and right guide pipes 68, 68 are provided on the outer front circumference of the leader 55 to guide the raising and lowering of a work device (not shown).

[0038] The rotating leader 65 is formed by connecting multiple leader members with a cylindrical cross-section. It is divided into a basic leader 70 connected to a fixed leader 64 via a leader rotation device 69, and an upper leader 71 connected to the upper part of the basic leader 70. The upper leader 71 is further divided into multiple leader members. Each of these leader members is detachably connected to flange members provided at its upper and lower ends by bolts and nuts.

[0039] The leader rotation device 69, positioned between the fixed leader 64 and the basic leader 70, is basically the same as the configuration described in Patent Document 2, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, and comprises a leader rotation mechanism 72 and, as an internal structure (not shown), a pair of left and right hydraulic cylinders vertically provided inside the fixed leader 64, and a bevel gear mechanism that converts the reciprocating linear motion of these hydraulic cylinders into forward and reverse rotational motion of the leader rotation mechanism 72.

[0040] As shown in Figure 11, the leader rotation mechanism 72 consists of a fixed base 74, which is an outer ring bearing case fixed to the upper surface of the flange 64a of the fixed leader 64 with mounting bolts 73, and a rotating base 77, which is an inner ring bearing case fixed to the lower surface of the flange 70a of the basic leader 70 with mounting bolts 75 and nuts 76, assembled so as to be rotatable relative to each other via a plurality of bearing balls (rotating bearings) 78 provided in the circumferential direction. In the assembled state, the leader rotation mechanism 72 becomes a component of the leader 55, with the fixed base 74 belonging to the configuration of the fixed leader 64 and the rotating base 77 belonging to the configuration of the basic leader 70.

[0041] As can be seen in Figure 9, the fixed base 74 has a fan-shaped flange 74a that avoids the pair of left and right guide pipes 68, 68 on the fixed leader 64. The flange 74a has a total of four locking holes: one locking hole h1 corresponding to the position when the working device is facing forward (to the right in Figure 9), in other words, the reference rotation position of the rotating leader 65; one locking hole h2 located circumferentially at a 45-degree interval to its right (lower side in Figure 9); and two locking holes h3, h4 located circumferentially at a 45-degree interval to the left of locking hole h1 (upper side in Figure 9). On the other hand, the rotating base 77 has a disc-shaped edge with locking hole projections 77a that selectively match each of the locking holes h1, h2, h3, and h4.

[0042] The locking hole projection 77a has pin holes H corresponding to each locking hole h1, h2, h3, h4. Although not shown in the figure, when the lock pin is pushed by a hydraulic cylinder provided on the lower outer circumference of the basic leader 70, the lock pin moves downward and passes through the pin hole H, and is inserted and locked into, for example, the locking hole h1 that defines the reference rotation position. As a result, the rotation of the rotary leader 65 is locked, and the work device can be guided up and down between vertically adjacent guide pipes 68, 68. When the rotary leader 65 is rotated from the reference rotation position to create other rotation lock states, locking hole h2 is used when the rotary leader 65 is rotated 45° to the left, locking hole h3 is used when it is rotated 45° to the right, and locking hole h4 is used when it is rotated 90° (45° + 45°) to the right. In other words, the rotary leader 65 has a rotation angle range of 135° and is selectively fixed in four rotation positions at 45° intervals defined by locking holes h1 to h4.

[0043] The pile driver 51 configured in this way is equipped with a rotation position detection device 79 that detects the rotational position of the rotating leader 65 relative to the fixed leader 64, in order to support ICT construction, such as position guidance. As shown in Figure 11, the rotation position detection device 79 has a colored part 80 (see also Figure 8) provided on the outer surface of the rotating base 77, a color sensor 81 provided on the fixed leader 64, and a controller 82 that identifies the rotational position (relative rotational position) of the rotating leader 65 relative to the fixed leader 64 based on the color of the colored part 80 identified by the color sensor 81.

[0044] The colored portion 80 is an arc-shaped portion colored on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating base 77, and as shown in the unfolded view in Figure 10, it consists of, for example, a horizontally elongated rectangular first colored portion 80a with a length dimension of πD × 135° / 360° (D: outer diameter of the rotating base 77) and a horizontally elongated rectangular second colored portion 80b positioned directly above it (see also Figure 9). Each colored portion 80a, 80b is formed by painting, applying a sticker, or the like.

[0045] The first colored section 80a has six regions C1 to C6, which are divided into 20° increments as unit rotation angles, and a region C7 with a unit rotation angle of 15°, within the rotation angle range (135°) of the rotary leader 65. Each region C1 to C7 is colored differently; for example, region C1 is colored "red", region C2 is "orange", region C3 is "yellow", region C4 is "yellow-green", region C5 is "green", region C6 is "light blue", and region C7 is "blue".

[0046] The second colored section 80b has a region corresponding to the rotation angle range (135°) of the rotary leader 65, which is divided into 27 regions in 5° increments, where the unit rotation angle is smaller than that of the first colored section 80a. Four consecutive regions C1 to C4 are grouped together and arranged periodically in the circumferential direction. Each region C1 to C4 is colored with a different color; for example, region C1 is colored "red", region C2 is colored "orange", region C3 is colored "yellow", and region C4 is colored "yellow-green". Therefore, the coloring of the second colored section 80b (each color of region C1 to C4) is common to a part of the coloring of the first colored section 80a (each color of region C1 to C4).

[0047] The color sensor 81 has the same specifications as the first embodiment and, as shown in Figure 11, consists of a first color sensor 81a that identifies the color applied to the first colored section 80a and a second color sensor 81b that identifies the color applied to the second colored section 80b. Each color sensor 81a and 81b is integrally mounted to a fixed reader 64, for example, via a mounting bracket (not shown), and its orientation is adjusted so that light emitted from a built-in light source illuminates the colored section 80 (regions C1 to C7) perpendicularly. The color identification information identified by the color sensor 81 is transmitted to the controller 82 via a wire.

[0048] The controller 82, similar to the first embodiment, is incorporated as a component (means for detecting attitude information of a pile driver) of, for example, the position guidance system described in Patent Document 3 or the automatic driving system described in Patent Document 4, and includes a control unit (CPU) that executes a control program for detecting rotational position, and a memory unit. The memory unit stores a table that associates color combinations identified by the color sensor 81 with rotation angles, and the control unit refers to this table. That is, the controller 82 determines the rotational position (relative rotational position) of the rotating leader 65 with respect to the fixed leader 64 based on the color combinations identified by the first color sensor 81a and the second color sensor 81b.

[0049] The reference table is pre-set based on a graph that defines the relationship between detected color and rotation angle, as shown in Figure 12. In this embodiment, for example, the reference rotation position of the rotary leader 65 is defined as 0°. When rotating to the right (clockwise in Figure 9), the controller 82 determines that the rotation position of the rotary leader 65 has reached the reference rotation position when the colors identified by the first color sensor 81a and the second color sensor 81b change to a combination of "yellow (C3)" and "orange (C2)" (see also Figure 10). On the other hand, when rotating to the left (counterclockwise in Figure 9), the controller 82 determines that the rotation position of the rotary leader 65 has reached the reference rotation position when the colors identified by each color sensor 81a, 81b change to a combination of "yellow (C3)" and "red (C1)" (see also Figure 10). Therefore, the controller 46 maintains a specified rotation angle as an error range, even if the rotation of the rotary leader 65 is performed in a range where the color combination does not change (a range of 5° increments of unit rotation angle) at any rotational position of the rotary leader 65.

[0050] In this embodiment, the rotation position of the rotary leader 65 is one of four: 45° left, 0°, 45° right, or 90° right, and one of these is selected. Therefore, when the color identified by each color sensor 81a, 81b changes to a combination of "red (C1)" and "red (C1)", the controller 82 determines that the rotation position of the rotary leader 65 has reached 45° left. When the identified color changes to a combination of "yellow (C3)" and "red (C1)" or "yellow (C3)" and "orange (C2)", the controller 82 determines that the rotation position of the rotary leader 65 has reached 0° (reference rotation position). When the identified color changes to a combination of "green (C5)" and "orange (C2)" or "green (C5)" and "yellow (C3)", the controller 82 determines that the rotation position of the rotary leader 65 has reached 45° right. When the identified color changes to a combination of blue (C7) and yellow (C3), it is determined that the rotation position of the rotary leader 65 has reached 90° to the right. If the detected color is any combination other than these, the rotary leader 65 is in an unstable state without being secured by the locking pin, and the system prompts the operator to take precautions regarding driving operations, for example, by displaying a message on the monitor screen in the driver's seat.

[0051] Thus, in the second configuration of the construction machine of the present invention, a colored section 80 is provided on the rotating leader 65 and a color sensor 81 is provided on the rotating leader 64, and a controller 82 identifies the rotational position based on the color of the colored section 80 identified by the color sensor 81. This provides a rotational position detection device 79, which enables the detection of the rotational position of the rotating leader 65 non-contact and with a unit rotation angle (resolution) that provides positional accuracy. This makes it possible to realize a construction machine that meets the needs of ICT construction, such as position guidance.

[0052] In particular, equipping the color sensor 45 to the fixed reader 64 is advantageous for application to the rotating parts of construction machinery because it allows for the transmission of color identification information to the controller 82 via a wired connection and does not require mechanical contacts.

[0053] Furthermore, two color sensors 81a and 81b are provided, each identifying a color from two side-by-side colored sections 80a and 80b. The controller 82 determines the rotational position based on the color combination identified by each color sensor 81a and 81b, allowing the use of general-purpose color sensors with a limited number of set colors. As a result, it is possible to meet the positional accuracy requirements for rotating parts with a limited rotational angle range, such as a rotary leader 65, with a relatively inexpensive configuration.

[0054] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the rotational position detection device can be configured as a detection means to be incorporated into an existing system, and can be appropriately modified according to the functions required of the construction machine. In addition, the unit rotation angle (resolution) can be arbitrarily set according to the properties of the rotating body. Furthermore, the number, arrangement, mounting structure, and maximum number of distinguishable colors of the color sensors are also arbitrary. In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing deterioration, it is preferable that the colored parts are arranged in a way that minimizes exposure to the outside (for example, the first configuration), but if such arrangement is difficult, they may be arranged with a cover, and the shape and number of colors are also arbitrary. Furthermore, although a pile driver was given as an example of construction machine, the invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to the rotating parts of various construction machines equipped with a rotating bearing structure, such as earth drills and cranes. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 11... Pile driver, 12... Lower traveling body, 13... Swivel bearing, 13a... Inner case, 13b... Outer case, 14... Upper slewing body, 15... Base machine, 16... Leader, 17... Lifting cylinder, 18... Leader support, 19... Jack, 20... Counterweight, 21... Basic leader, 22... Upper leader, 23... Lower leader, 24... Top sheave, 25... Main frame, 25a... Underside, 26... Floor frame, 27... Operator's cab, 28... Engine housing, 29... Se Center frame, 29a...top surface, 30...axle, 31...track frame, 32...side frame, 33...spanner cylinder, 34...mounting bolt, 35...nut, 36...mounting bolt, 37...nut, 38...bearing ball, 39...swivel position fixing device, 40...braking plate, 40a...split member, 41...clamping device, 42...gap, 43...rotation position detection device, 44...colored part, 44a...first colored part, 44b...second colored part, 45...color sensor, 45a...first color sensor 45b...Second color sensor, 46...Controller, 51...Pile driver, 52...Lower traveling body, 53...Upper rotating body, 54...Base machine, 55...Leader, 56...Front jack, 57...Leader bracket, 58...Rear jack, 59...Outrigger box, 60...Counterweight, 61...Operator's cab, 62...Power unit, 63...Gantry, 64...Fixed leader, 64a...Flange, 65...Rotating leader, 66...Holder, 67...Back stay, 68...Guide pipe, 6 9...Leader rotation device, 70...Basic leader, 70a...Flange, 71...Upper leader, 72...Leader rotation mechanism, 73...Mounting bolt, 74...Fixed base, 74a...Flange, 75...Mounting bolt, 76...Nut, 77...Rotation base, 77a...Locking hole projection, 78...Bearing ball, 79...Rotation position detection device, 80...Colored part, 80a...First colored part, 80b...Second colored part, 81...Color sensor, 81a...First color sensor, 81b...Second color sensor, 82...Controller

Claims

1. Lower running body and An upper rotating body is rotatably mounted on the upper part of the lower traveling body via a rotating bearing, A construction machine comprising a rotation position detection device for detecting the rotation position of the upper slewing body relative to the lower traveling body, The rotational position detection device is, A colored portion provided on the lower traveling body, A color sensor provided on the upper rotating body, A controller that identifies the rotation position based on the color of the colored part identified by the color sensor, The construction machine is characterized in that the colored portion has multiple regions that are divided into units of rotational angle increments and colored differently.

2. A fixed leader is provided at the front of the upper rotating body, A rotating leader is provided on the upper part of the fixed leader so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angular range via a rotating bearing, A construction machine comprising a rotational position detection device for detecting the rotational position of the rotating leader relative to the fixed leader, The rotational position detection device is, The colored portion provided on the rotary leader, A color sensor provided on the aforementioned fixed reader, A controller that identifies the rotation position based on the color of the colored part identified by the color sensor, The construction machine is characterized in that the colored portion has multiple regions that are divided into units of rotational angle increments and colored differently.

3. The colored portion includes a second colored portion arranged in parallel with the first colored portion formed by the plurality of regions, The second colored section is divided into multiple regions with different colors, each divided into increments of a unit rotation angle smaller than the unit rotation angle, and these regions are arranged periodically. The color sensor comprises a first color sensor that identifies the color applied to the first colored portion and a second color sensor that identifies the color applied to the second colored portion. The construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the controller determines the rotation position based on the combination of colors identified by the first color sensor and the second color sensor.

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