Remote control system for industrial machinery

Abstract

This invention provides a remote control system 1 for a work machine that can automatically switch between a wireless remote control and a wired remote control. [Solution] The remote control system 1 for the work machine has a work machine equipped with a drive unit 11, a wireless remote control 30 and a wired remote control 40 capable of operating the drive unit 11, and a control device 20 that controls the drive unit 11. The control device 20 controls the drive unit 11 to be operable by the wireless remote control 30 when no operation signal is detected from the wired remote control 40, controls the drive unit 11 to be operable by the wired remote control 40 when an operation signal is detected from the wired remote control 40, and controls the drive unit 11 to be inoperable by the wireless remote control 30 when it is determined that a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation signal from the wired remote control 40 was no longer detected, and controls the drive unit 11 to be operable by the wireless remote control 30.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote control system for a work machine that can automatically switch between a wired remote control and a wireless remote control for operating work machines such as a transport crane and an aerial work platform.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there have been proposals for a remote control system that includes a wired remote control and a wireless remote control for operating work machines and various devices, and means for switching the operations of the wired remote control and the wireless remote control.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a remote control system 100 having a hot water supply device main body 101, a wired remote control 110 for operating the hot water supply device main body 101, and a wireless remote control 120, as shown in FIG. 9.

[0004] The remote control system 100 is configured such that the wired remote control 110 and the wireless remote control 120 each include a priority switch 111, 121, and when the user presses the priority switches 111, 121, the operation of the wired remote control 110 or the wireless remote control 120 whose priority switch 111, 121 has been pressed is accepted.

[0005] Further, Patent Document 2 below discloses a remote control system 200 used for operating an output device 240 provided in, for example, an agricultural work machine attached to a tractor.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 10, the remote control system 200 includes a remote control (transmitter) 210 having a wireless transmission unit 211, a switch 215, and a first connection unit 216, and a receiver (receiver unit) 220 having a wireless reception unit 221, a second connection unit 224, and a control unit 227 and connected to the output device 240.

[0007] Furthermore, the remote control 210 includes a wired priority switching circuit 214, which recognizes when a connection cable 230 is connected to the first connection unit 216, cancels the transmission from the wireless transmission unit 211, and switches to wired communication via the connection cable 230.

[0008] Regarding the operation of the remote control system 200 having the above configuration, under normal circumstances, when the switch 215 of the remote control 210 is operated, an operation signal is sent wirelessly from the wireless transmitter 211 of the remote control 210 to the wireless receiver 221 of the receiver 220, and based on this signal, the output device 240 is operated by the control unit 227.

[0009] Furthermore, if the wireless function malfunctions or the remote control 210 runs out of battery, making wireless operation impossible, the system can be switched to wired operation by connecting the connection cable 230 to the first connection port 216 of the remote control 210 and the second connection port 224 of the receiver 220. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-269050 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-24187 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] However, the remote control system 100 described in Patent Document 1 requires the user to press priority switches 111 and 121 each time they switch between the wired remote control 110 and the wireless remote control 120, which is cumbersome for the user.

[0012] Furthermore, the remote control system 200 described in Patent Document 2 requires the user to connect a connection cable 230 when wired operation is necessary, which is also cumbersome. In addition, if, for example, the user is unaware that a connection cable 230 needs to be connected, or does not know the location of the connection ports (first connection part 216, second connection part 224) of the connection cable 230, or does not have a connection cable 230 when needed, the user will be unable to operate the system via a wired connection. Moreover, since this remote control system 200 switches between wireless and wired connections for a single remote control 210, if the remote control 210 itself malfunctions or experiences other problems, both the wireless and wired connections become unusable, requiring the provision of a new remote control.

[0013] Furthermore, even when primarily using a wireless remote control for convenience or other reasons, wireless communication failures may occur due to noise in the surrounding environment, or interference may occur due to multiple other wireless devices, rendering the wireless remote control unusable. If a malfunctioning wireless remote control causes a work machine to move, rise, or descend unintentionally, it could lead to a contact accident involving an operator of a wired remote control near the work machine. From a safety standpoint, it is desirable that the wired remote control be given priority and remain operational in the event of a malfunction.

[0014] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a remote control system for work machinery that includes a wireless remote control and a wired remote control, and can automatically switch between the wireless and wired remote controls, thereby providing a highly convenient remote control system for the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The means for solving the problem are described below, along with the reference numerals used in the embodiments for carrying out the invention. These reference numerals are included to clarify the correspondence between the claims and the descriptions of the embodiments for carrying out the invention, and needless to say, they are not used restrictively to interpret the technical scope of the present invention.

[0016] To achieve the above objective, the remote control system 1 for the work machine of the present invention is In a remote control system 1 for a work machine having a work machine 10 equipped with a drive unit 11 and a wireless remote control 30 and a wired remote control 40 capable of operating the drive unit 11, The work machine 10 is equipped with a control device 20 that communicates wirelessly with the wireless remote control 30 and via wired communication with the wired remote control 40, and controls the amount of drive of the drive unit 11 based on the operation signals received from the wireless remote control 30 or the wired remote control 40. The control device 20 is characterized in that, if no operation signal is detected from the wired remote control 40, it controls the drive unit 11 to be operable by the wireless remote control 30; if an operation signal is detected from the wired remote control 40, it controls the drive unit 11 to be operable by the wired remote control 40 and controls the drive unit 11 to be inoperable by the wireless remote control 30; and if it is determined that a predetermined time t1 has elapsed since the operation signal from the wired remote control 40 was no longer detected after the detection of an operation signal from the wired remote control 40, it controls the drive unit 11 to be operable by the wireless remote control 30 (Claim 1).

[0017] Furthermore, if the control device 20 simultaneously detects an operation signal from the wireless remote control 30 and an operation signal from the wired remote control 40 (for example, if the wired remote control 40 is operated while the wireless remote control 30 is being operated), it is preferable to control the drive unit 11 so that it can be operated by the wired remote control 40 (Claim 2).

[0018] In addition to the above, if the control device 20 detects both the wireless remote control 30 and the wired remote control 40 simultaneously, it may control both the wireless remote control 30 and the wired remote control 40 to be inoperable for a predetermined time t2 (Claim 3).

[0019] Furthermore, the remote control system 1 of the working machine of the present invention includes the wireless remote control 30 and / or the working machine 10 having notification units (the notification unit of the wireless remote control 30 is denoted by reference numeral 34, and the notification unit of the working machine 10 is denoted by reference numeral 18). When controlling the working machine 10 to be operable by the wireless remote control 30, the control device 20 transmits a notification signal for notifying the user that the working machine 10 is operable by the wireless remote control 30 to the notification units (34, 18), or while controlling the working machine 10 to be operable by the wireless remote control 30, the control device 20 may control to continuously transmit a notification signal for notifying the user that the working machine 10 is operable by the wireless remote control 30 to the notification units (34, 18) (Claim 4).

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] In the remote control system 1 of the working machine of the present invention, since the operation switching between the wireless remote control 30 and the wired remote control 40 is automatically switched by the control device 20, it is not necessary to provide a switch or the like for switching, and since there is no trouble in the switching operation, it is highly convenient for the user. Since the wired remote control 40 is preferentially operated rather than the wireless remote control 30, when an abnormality such as a failure of the wireless remote control 30, poor wireless communication, or interference occurs, the drive unit 11 of the working machine can be surely operated by the wired remote control 40.

[0021] In particular, the condition for switching from the operation by the wireless remote control 30 to the operation by the wired remote control 40 is that the user only needs to simply operate the wired remote control 40. On the other hand, the condition for switching from the operation by the wired remote control 40 to the operation by the wireless remote control 30 is only to wait for a predetermined time after the operation by the wired remote control is stopped, so the switching condition is simple.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an embodiment of the remote control system 1 of the working machine of the present invention. [Figure 2] A configuration diagram of the remote control system 1 of the working machine in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] A flowchart for explaining the operation of the switching control unit 24 of the remote control system 1 of the working machine in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] In the remote control system 1 of the working machine in FIG. 1, a diagram showing a state of being operated by the wireless remote control 30. [Figure 5] In the remote control system 1 of the working machine in FIG. 1, a diagram showing a state of being operated by the wired remote control 40. [Figure 6] An overall view of the wireless remote control 30 of the remote control system 1 of the working machine in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of use of the remote control system 1 of the working machine in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of use of the remote control system 1 of the working machine in FIG. 1. [Figure 9] A diagram showing the configuration of the conventional remote control system 100. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the configuration of the conventional remote control system 200.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the remote control system for a working machine of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that this embodiment shows an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0024] The working machine in the present invention is a machine that works together with an operator. Specifically, it includes aerial work platforms, transport cranes, and other construction machines, heavy machines, civil engineering machines, etc. In the present embodiment described below, a transport crane will be described as an example of the working machine.

[0025] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a remote control system for a working machine. The remote control system 1 includes a transport crane (working machine) 10 having a drive unit 11 such as a traveling unit 13 and a lifting mechanism unit 14 described later, a wireless remote control 30 for operating the drive unit 11 of the transport crane 10, and a wired remote control 40.

[0026] In this embodiment, the transport lifting machine 10, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a chassis 12 equipped with a running section 13 (in the illustrated example, a running section) such as wheels or tracks on both sides in the width direction, a drive source (not shown) such as a running motor or engine that drives the running section 13, and a power battery (not shown), etc., a lifting mechanism 14 consisting of a scissor link and a hydraulic mechanism that operates the scissor link on the chassis 12, a loading platform 15 that is raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism 14, and a control device (not shown) 20 which is a main controller mounted on the chassis 12 and controls the other drive sections 11 of the work machine 10. The control device 20 will be described later.

[0027] As mentioned above, in this embodiment, a lifting machine for transport is used as the work machine 10. However, for example, an aerial work platform can also be suitably used, which is provided with a protective fence (not shown) surrounding the loading platform 15 of the lifting machine 10 to serve as a work platform on which a user (worker) can board.

[0028] Next, the wireless remote control 30 comprises a communication unit 31, an operation unit 32, a control unit 33, and a notification unit 34 (see Figure 2). The communication unit 31 includes, for example, an antenna and transmits and receives signals wirelessly to and from the control device 20. The operation unit 32 is the part used by the user when operating the device and consists of, for example, push buttons, keys, switches, a touch panel, etc. The control unit 33 is composed of, for example, a microcontroller and controls various processes of the wireless remote control 30, such as controlling the communication unit 31 to transmit operation signals to the control device 20 (the wireless communication unit 21 described later) according to the operation commands input by the operation of the operation unit 32. The notification unit 34 notifies that the wireless remote control 30 is ready for operation. Specific examples of the notification unit 34 include, for example, an audio output device that emits a buzzer sound or voice guidance, or a display device such as an LED or monitor.

[0029] The wired remote control 40 comprises a communication unit 41, an operation unit 42, and a control unit 43 (see Figure 2). The communication unit 41 includes, for example, a wired interface and transmits and receives signals to and from the control device 20 via a wired connection. The operation unit 42 is the part used by the worker when operating the device (it accepts user input) and consists of, for example, push buttons, keys, switches, a touch panel, etc. The control unit 43 is composed of, for example, a microcontroller and controls various processes of the wired remote control 40, such as controlling the transmission of operation signals according to operation commands input by the operation unit 42 to the control device 20 (wired communication unit 22, described later) via the communication unit 41.

[0030] Next, the control device 20 of the transport lifting machine (working machine) 10 includes, for example, a microcontroller, and in this embodiment, it comprises a wireless communication unit 21, a wired communication unit 22, a switching control unit 24, and an operation signal processing unit 26 (see Figure 2).

[0031] The wireless communication unit 21 has the function of communicating wirelessly with the wireless remote control 30 (sending and receiving signals with the wireless remote control 30). The wireless communication unit 21 includes, for example, a wireless module (not shown) and an antenna (not shown) for wireless communication. Furthermore, the method of wireless communication between the wireless communication unit 21 and the wireless remote control 30 is not particularly limited, and may be wireless communication using radio waves as a medium, for example, compliant with communication standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0032] The wired communication unit 22 has the function of communicating with the wired remote control 40 via a wired connection (sending and receiving signals with the wired remote control 40). The wired communication unit 22 includes, for example, a wired interface (not shown).

[0033] The switching control unit 24 controls the switching between wireless and wired lines. As shown in Figure 2, the switching control unit 24 has its upstream side connected to the wireless communication unit 21 and the wired communication unit 22, and its downstream side connected to the operation signal processing unit 26. The switching control unit 24 has a control circuit 24a that can select either the wireless communication unit 21 or the wired communication unit 22 and switchably connect to the subsequent operation signal processing unit 26. The switching control unit 24 also has control means 24b that detects operation signals from the wireless communication unit 21 and the wired communication unit 22, controls the control circuit 24a, and performs various other controls, such as determining whether or not an operation signal from the wired communication unit 22 has been detected for a predetermined time. The operation of the switching control unit 24 will be described in more detail later.

[0034] The operation signal processing unit 26 controls the various drive units 11 of the transport lifting machine 10 based on operation signals received from the wireless remote control 30 or wired remote control 40 via the switching control unit 24. For example, it controls the driving motor and steering device provided on the chassis 12 to control the driving and steering of the chassis 12, or controls the operation of a control valve (not shown) and a hydraulic pump (not shown) provided on the lifting mechanism 14 to control the lifting and lowering operation of the cargo bed 15 by the lifting mechanism 14.

[0035] Next, referring to the flowchart shown in Figure 3, the operation of the switching control unit 24 in the present invention will be explained. Under normal circumstances, the remote control system 1 for the work machine enables the operation of the work machine 10 by the wireless remote control 30 (see Figure 4). In other words, under normal circumstances, the switching control unit 24 connects the wireless communication unit 21 and the operation signal processing unit 26 (S1).

[0036] The switching control unit 24 then determines whether or not an operation signal has been detected from the wired communication unit 22 (S2). When the wired remote control 40 is operated and an operation signal from the wired communication unit 22 is detected (YES in S2), the switching control unit 24 disconnects the wireless communication unit 21 and the operation signal processing unit 26 and switches to connecting the wired communication unit 22 and the operation signal processing unit 26 (S3). As a result, the remote control system 1 of the work machine switches to operation by the wired remote control 40 (see Figure 5), and operation by the wireless remote control 30 becomes impossible.

[0037] Here, even if the switching control unit 24 simultaneously detects an operation signal from the wireless remote control 30 and an operation signal from the wired remote control 40 (i.e., the operation signals conflict), such as when the wired remote control 40 is being operated while the wireless remote control 30 is being operated, the switching control unit 24 disconnects the wireless communication unit 21 and the operation signal processing unit 26, connects the wired communication unit 22 and the operation signal processing unit 26, and the remote control system 1 of the work machine switches to operation of the wired remote control 40 as a priority.

[0038] Next, the switching control unit 24 connects the wired communication unit 22 and the operation signal processing unit 26, and then determines whether a predetermined time t1 has elapsed after the detection of operation signals from the wired remote control 40 has stopped (the operation by the wired remote control 40 has ended) (S4). If it determines that the predetermined time t1 has elapsed (YES in S4), the switching control unit 24 disconnects the wired communication unit 22 and the operation signal processing unit 26, switches to connecting the wireless communication unit 21 and the operation signal processing unit 26, and returns to the normal state (S1), that is, returns to a state where no operation signals from the wired remote control 40 are detected, and operation by the wireless remote control 30 becomes possible. The predetermined time t1 is preferably set to a few seconds, but can be changed as appropriate. Alternatively, the predetermined time t1 may be set to 0, in which case the switching control unit 24 switches to connecting the wireless communication unit 21 and the operation signal processing unit 26 immediately after the detection of operation signals from the wired remote control 40 stops, and returns to the normal state (S1).

[0039] Furthermore, when the switching control unit 24 returns to the initial state or the normal state (S1), that is, when connecting the wireless communication unit 21 and the operation signal processing unit 26, it controls the wireless communication unit 21 to transmit a notification signal to the wireless remote control 30 to inform the user that operation by the wireless remote control 30 is possible. The control unit 33 of the wireless remote control 30, upon receiving the notification signal from the communication unit 31, controls the notification unit 34 to inform the user that operation by the wireless remote control 30 is possible (not shown in the flowchart of Figure 3).

[0040] In addition to the above, the remote control system 1 for the work machine may be controlled so that, while operation by the wireless remote control 30 is possible, that is, while the wireless communication unit 21 and the operation signal processing unit 26 are connected, the switching control unit 24 continues to transmit a notification signal from the wireless communication unit 21 to the wireless remote control 30 to inform the user that operation by the wireless remote control 30 is possible.

[0041] This makes it possible to control the system so that, for example, the LED (see Figure 6), which is an alert unit 34 attached to the wireless remote control 30, remains lit while operation by the wireless remote control 30 is possible.

[0042] In addition to the above, while the device is operable with the wireless remote control 30, the control device 20 may control the notification unit 18 (not shown), which is provided on the chassis 12 of the transport lifting machine 10 and consists of, for example, a notification sound output device that emits notification sounds such as a buzzer sound or voice guidance, and a display device such as an LED or monitor, to continuously transmit a notification signal to the user that the device is operable with the wireless remote control 30, and to control the notification unit 18 to continue providing notifications.

[0043] In addition to the embodiments described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 3, the remote control system 1 for the work machine of the present invention may, when simultaneously detecting an operation signal from a wireless remote control 30 and an operation signal from a wired remote control 40, control the switching control unit 24 to prevent either the wireless communication unit 21 or the wired communication unit 22 from connecting to the operation signal processing unit 26 for a predetermined time t2 (preferably several seconds), thereby disabling operation by both the wireless remote control 30 and the wired remote control 40 (not shown in the flowchart in Figure 3). In this case, after the predetermined time t2 has elapsed, the control may be configured to connect either the wireless communication unit 21 or the wired communication unit 22 to the operation signal processing unit 26.

[0044] Furthermore, the configuration of the control device 20 of the remote control system 1 for the work machine of the present invention is not limited to that of this embodiment, which has the configuration shown in Figure 2 described above. Any other configuration is acceptable as long as the control device 20 can automatically switch between the wireless remote control 30 and the wired remote control 40. That is, under normal circumstances, it controls the drive unit 11 of the work machine 10 to be operable using the wireless remote control 30, and when it detects an operation signal from the wired remote control 40, it controls the drive unit 11 of the work machine 10 to be operable using the wired remote control 40, and when it determines that a predetermined time t1 has elapsed after the detection of an operation signal from the wired remote control 40 has stopped, it controls the drive unit 11 of the work machine 10 to be operable using the wireless remote control 30. Similarly, the notification control of the notification unit 34 and notification unit 18 described above is not limited to that of the switching control unit 24 of this embodiment described above. Any other configuration is acceptable as long as it can be controlled by the control device 20.

[0045] As described above, the remote control system 1 for the work machine of the present invention automatically switches between the operation of the wireless remote control 30 and the wired remote control 40 by the control device 20 (the switching control unit 24 of the control device 20 in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 6), so there is no need to provide a switch for switching, and there is no hassle in switching operations, making it highly convenient for the user.

[0046] In particular, the conditions for switching from operation by the wireless remote control 30 to operation by the wired remote control 40 are simple, requiring only the user to operate the wired remote control 40. On the other hand, the conditions for switching from operation by the wired remote control 40 to operation by the wireless remote control 30 are simple, requiring only waiting for a predetermined time t1 after operation by the wired remote control has stopped. Therefore, the conditions for switching in either case are simple.

[0047] Next, as an example of how to use the remote control system 1 for the work machine of the present invention, for example, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, a transport lifting machine 10 and an aerial work platform 50 equipped with the remote control system 1 for the work machine of this embodiment described above are prepared, and a user (worker) is on board the aerial work platform 50 and may operate the adjacent transport lifting machine 10 using the wireless remote control 30 as shown in Figure 7, or may operate the adjacent transport lifting machine 10 using the wired remote control 40 as shown in Figure 8, and it is possible to switch between using the wireless remote control 30 and the wired remote control 40 depending on the situation. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 1. Remote control system for industrial machinery 10. Work machinery (in this embodiment, a lifting machine for transport) 11 Drive unit 12 Chassis 13. Running section 14 Lifting mechanism 15. Cargo bed 18 Hochi Department 20 Control device 21 Wireless Communication Section 22 Wired Communications Department 24 Switching Control Unit 24a Control circuit 24b Control means 26 Operation Signal Processing Unit 30 Wireless Remote Controls 31 Communications Department 32 Operation section 33 Control Unit 34 Hochi Department 40 Wired remote control 41 Communications Department 42 Operation section 43 Control Unit 50 Aerial work platform 100 Remote Control Systems 101 Water heater unit 110 Wired Remote Control 111 Priority Switch 120 Wireless Remote Controls 121 Priority Switch 200 Remote Control System 210 Remote Control 211 Wireless Transmitter 214 Wired priority switching circuit 215 switches 216 First connection section 220 Receiver 221 Wireless Receiver 224 Second connection section 227 Control Unit 230 connection cables 240 Output Devices

Claims

1. In a remote control system for a work machine having a drive unit and a wireless remote control and a wired remote control capable of operating the drive unit, The aforementioned work machine is equipped with a control device that communicates wirelessly with the wireless remote control and via wired communication with the wired remote control, and controls the amount of drive of the drive unit based on the operation signal received from the wireless remote control or the wired remote control. The control device is characterized in that, when no operation signal is detected from the wired remote control, it controls the drive unit to be operable by the wireless remote control; when an operation signal is detected from the wired remote control, it controls the drive unit to be operable by the wired remote control and disables the drive unit by the wireless remote control; and after an operation signal is detected from the wired remote control, if it is determined that a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation signal from the wired remote control was no longer detected, it controls the drive unit to be operable by the wireless remote control.

2. The remote control system for a work machine according to claim 1, characterized in that when the control device simultaneously detects an operation signal from the wireless remote control and an operation signal from the wired remote control, it controls the drive unit so that it can be operated by the wired remote control.

3. The remote control system for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, when the control device simultaneously detects an operation signal from the wireless remote control and an operation signal from the wired remote control, it controls both the wireless remote control and the wired remote control to be inoperable for a predetermined period of time.

4. The wireless remote control and / or the work machine is equipped with a notification unit. The remote control system for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device is controlled to transmit a notification signal to the notification unit to inform the user that the machine is operable by the wireless remote control when the machine is controlled to be operable by the wireless remote control, or to continue transmitting a notification signal to the notification unit to inform the user that the machine is operable by the wireless remote control while the machine is being controlled to be operable by the wireless remote control.

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