Working machine

Abstract

To provide a working machine capable of appropriately detecting an obstacle located in the movement direction of a machine body.SOLUTION: In a rolling compaction machine 100, a controller 10 determines whether a machine body 1 is running or stopping on the basis of a running state detected by a rotation sensor 45, and when it is determined that the machine body 1 is running, the presence or absence of an obstacle is determined on the basis of detection information of one of a front infrared sensor 43a and a rear infrared sensor 43b that corresponds to the travelling direction of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45, and when it is determined that the machine body 1 is stopping, the presence or absence of the obstacle is determined on the basis of the detection information of one of the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b that corresponds to the indication direction of a forward / backward lever 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a working machine, and more particularly to a working machine provided with a forward and reverse lever for switching the traveling direction of the machine body and obstacle detection sensors provided in the front and rear of the machine body.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a working machine, a technique for detecting an obstacle by an obstacle detection sensor provided in the front and rear of the machine body is known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a tire roller that switches which of the obstacle detection sensors provided in the front and rear of the machine body is used to detect an obstacle according to the set position of the forward and reverse lever.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a working machine, while the machine body is moving, an operator may switch the forward / backward lever to change the traveling direction. At this time, the actual traveling direction of the machine body does not change immediately after switching the forward / backward lever, and the machine body may continue to move by inertia in the traveling direction before switching the forward / backward lever. In that case, in the obstacle detection method described in Patent Document 1, although the machine body is moving in the traveling direction before switching the forward / backward lever, an obstacle may be detected by the obstacle detection sensor on the direction side after switching the forward / backward lever, and the obstacle on the traveling direction side of the machine body may not be detected. Also, when the forward / backward lever is set to neutral, for example, the machine body may runaway by its own weight on a slope. In this case, in the obstacle detection method described in Patent Document 1, since the forward / backward lever is set to neutral, the obstacle detection sensors provided on either direction side do not operate, and the obstacle on the traveling direction side of the machine body cannot be detected.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a working machine capable of appropriately detecting an obstacle located on the traveling direction side of the machine body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, a working machine according to the present invention includes a machine body, a forward and reverse lever for switching the traveling direction of the machine body, an obstacle detection device for detecting obstacles located in front of and behind the machine body, and a control device for determining the presence or absence of an obstacle based on the instruction direction of the forward and reverse lever and the detection information output by the obstacle detection device. The obstacle detection device includes a first obstacle detection device for detecting the obstacle located in front of the machine body and a second obstacle detection device for detecting the obstacle located behind the machine body. In the working machine, a traveling state detection means for detecting a traveling state including the traveling direction of the machine body is provided. The control device determines whether the machine body is traveling or stopped based on the traveling state detected by the traveling state detection means. When it is determined that the machine body is traveling, the control device determines the presence or absence of an obstacle based on one of the detection information corresponding to the traveling direction of the machine body detected by the traveling state detection means among the first obstacle detection device and the second obstacle detection device. When it is determined that the machine body is stopped, the control device determines the presence or absence of an obstacle based on one of the detection information corresponding to the instruction direction of the forward and reverse lever among the first obstacle detection device and the second obstacle detection device.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the working machine of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately detect an obstacle located on the traveling direction side of the machine body.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are expressed with reference to an operator seated on the driver's seat of the rolling machine.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a rolling machine as a working machine according to the first embodiment. The rolling machine 100 is a tire roller that performs a compaction operation in an asphalt paving work by performing a rolling construction. The rolling machine 100 includes a machine body 1, front wheels 3, rear wheels 4, a drive unit 5, a watering device 7, an operation unit 9, and a controller (control device) 10.

[0011] (Machine body and front and rear wheels) The body 1 incorporates various devices such as a drive unit 5 and a controller 10 within a frame as a structure. The front wheels 3 and the rear wheels 4 are compression wheels made of rubber with a flat ground contact surface, and it is possible to drive the body 1 by driving the rear wheels 4, and it is possible to decelerate the body 1 by decelerating the rear wheels 4.

[0012] (Drive Unit) The drive unit 5 includes an engine 11, an HST (Hydraulic Static Transmission) 13, and a drive shaft 15. The engine 11 is an internal combustion engine that operates when fuel is supplied from a fuel tank (not shown). The HST 13 is a closed hydraulic circuit having a hydraulic pump 13a, a hydraulic travel motor 13b, and a hydraulic path 13c. The hydraulic pump 13a is a so-called bi-directional swash plate hydraulic pump that circulates hydraulic oil using the driving force of the engine 11, and it is possible to adjust the circulation amount and circulation direction of the hydraulic oil by adjusting the inclination angle of a swash plate (not shown). Thereby, the HST 13 can circulate the hydraulic oil to the hydraulic travel motor 13b via the hydraulic path 13c by operating the hydraulic pump 13a using the driving force of the engine 11, and drive the hydraulic travel motor 13b.

[0013] The drive shaft 15 is a shaft member whose one end is connected to be interlocked with the hydraulic travel motor 13b of the HST 13, and the other end is connected to be interlocked with an axle 14 which is the rotation shaft of the rear wheels 4. Thereby, the rear wheels 4 can drive the body 1 when the driving force of the hydraulic travel motor 13b is transmitted via the drive shaft 15 and the axle 14. Also, since the HST 13 interlocks the hydraulic travel motor 13b with the rear wheels 4 via the drive shaft 15 and the axle 14, it is possible to decelerate the rear wheels 4 by adjusting the circulation amount of the hydraulic oil by the hydraulic pump 13a.

[0014] Here, the hydraulic travel motor 13b is internally provided with a parking brake device 13d, and the axle 14 is provided with a service brake device 13e. The parking brake device 13d is a disk-type friction brake device that operates by pressing a parking button (not shown). By operating this parking brake device 13d, it is possible to stop the drive of the hydraulic travel motor 13b. Thereby, for example, when parking the machine body 1 after work by the machine body 1, it is possible to operate the parking brake device 13d to prevent the machine body 1 from moving due to gravity on a slope or the like (parked state). The service brake device 13e is a disk-type friction brake device that brakes the rotation of the axle 14 when the operator steps on a brake pedal (not shown).

[0015] (Water spraying device) The water spraying device 7 is a device that sprays and scatters the water stored in a water tank (not shown) formed inside the frame of the machine body 1 onto the front wheels 3, the rear wheels 4, and the road surface. Thereby, the water spraying device 7 can suppress the decrease in the adhesiveness between the front wheels 3 and the rear wheels 4 and the asphalt paving material and prevent the paved road surface from becoming rough.

[0016] (Operation unit) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the operation unit 9 as viewed from the rear of the machine body. The operation unit 9 includes a forward / reverse lever 21, a steering 23, and an operation panel 25. This operation unit 9 is a device for the operator to perform various operations of the machine body 1 such as traveling, steering, and braking of the machine body 1.

[0017] The forward / reverse lever 21 is a lever that controls the HST 13 by the operator operating the indicated direction, that is, the set position of the forward / reverse lever 21, changes the rotation direction of the rear wheels 4, and switches the traveling direction of the machine body 1 to any one of forward, reverse, and neutral (a neutral state where it is neither forward nor reverse). The steering 23 is a steering device that rotates the front wheels 3 about the vertical direction of the machine body when the operator operates it and adjusts the traveling direction in the left-right direction of the machine body.

[0018] The operation panel 25 is an operating device having a monitor 31, a speaker 33, and a lamp 34. The monitor 31 is a liquid crystal panel that displays the traveling speed of the machine body 1, the remaining amount of fuel, and other various setting states. The speaker 33 can emit a buzzer sound or the like. The lamp 34 is a warning lamp that can light visible light visible to the operator.

[0019] Also, an accelerator pedal 37 is disposed below the operation unit 9 corresponding to the foot area when the operator boards (see FIG. 1). Thereby, the operator can accelerate, decelerate, and stop the machine body 1 by adjusting the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal 37.

[0020] (Other machine-mounted devices) Returning to the description of FIG. 1. A warning lamp 41, an infrared sensor 43 (obstacle detection device), and a rotation sensor 45 (traveling state detection means) are disposed on the machine body 1. The warning lamp 41 is, for example, attached to the roof 2 and is a warning lamp that emits visible light of a plurality of colors such as red, yellow, green, and blue toward the workers located around the machine body 1. This warning lamp 41 is detachably disposed and is removed for identification with emergency vehicles when the machine body 1 travels on a public road.

[0021] The infrared sensor 43 is an obstacle detection device that emits infrared rays in the traveling direction of the machine body 1 and detects the presence or absence of an obstacle in the traveling direction and the distance between the machine body 1 and the obstacle. The infrared sensor 43 includes a front infrared sensor 43a (first obstacle detection device) disposed on the front side of the machine body 1 for detecting an obstacle located in front of the machine body 1 and a rear infrared sensor 43b (second obstacle detection device) disposed on the rear side for detecting an obstacle located behind the machine body 1. The front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b output detection information of the obstacle to the controller 10.

[0022] The rotation sensor 45 is disposed, for example, on the rotation axis of the front wheel 3 and can detect the speed of the aircraft body 1 based on the rotation speed of the front wheel 3. Further, the rotation sensor 45 can detect the current traveling direction of the aircraft body 1 by detecting the rotation direction of the front wheel 3. The rotation sensor 45 detects the traveling state of the aircraft body 1, that is, whether the aircraft body 1 is moving forward, moving backward, or stopped (parked). Here, the "traveling" includes cases where the aircraft body 1 moves in one direction due to inertia or moves in one direction due to its own weight on a slope or the like. The rotation sensor 45 may be a well-known rotation sensor capable of detecting the rotation speed and rotation direction, such as a rotary encoder. The rotation sensor 45 outputs the detection result of the traveling state of the aircraft body 1 to the controller 10.

[0023] (Controller) FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the controller 10. The controller 10 is a control device for performing comprehensive control including the operation control of the drive unit 5, and includes an input / output device, a storage device (ROM: Read Only Memory, RAM: Random Access Memory, non-volatile RAM, etc.), a central processing unit (CPU: Central Processing Unit), and the like.

[0024] On the input side of the controller 10, a forward / backward lever 21, a rotation sensor 45, a front infrared sensor 43a, and a rear infrared sensor 43b are electrically connected. As a result, information regarding the indicated direction from the forward / backward lever 21, that is, information on whether the traveling direction of the aircraft 1 is set to forward, backward, or neutral, is input to the controller 10. Also, information regarding the speed of the aircraft 1 and information regarding the current traveling direction of the aircraft 1 are input to the controller 10 from the rotation sensor 45. Further, information regarding the presence or absence of obstacles in the front and rear of the aircraft 1 and the distance between the aircraft 1 and the obstacles is input to the controller 10 from the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b. The controller 10 switches which of the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b is used to detect obstacles according to the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 and the traveling state of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45.

[0025] On the output side of the controller 10, a drive unit 5, a monitor 31, a speaker 33, a lamp 34, and a warning light 41 are electrically connected. As a result, the controller 10 can control the acceleration and deceleration of the aircraft 1 by controlling the engine 11 of the drive unit 5 and the hydraulic pump 13a of the HST 13, or can park the aircraft 1 by controlling the parking brake device 13d.

[0026] Also, the controller 10 controls the monitor 31 to display a predetermined notification video to the operator. Also, the controller 10 controls the speaker 33 to sound a buzzer so that the operator can hear it. Also, the controller 10 controls the lamp 34 to light it in a predetermined lighting mode such as blinking so that the operator can visually recognize it. Also, the controller 10 controls the warning light 41 to give a notification or a warning around the aircraft 1.

[0027] (Obstacle Detection Control) Next, the detection control of obstacles executed by the controller 10 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of the detection control of obstacles executed in the rolling machine 100 according to the first embodiment. The processing shown in FIG. 4 is repeatedly executed by the controller 10 at a predetermined cycle after the rolling machine 100 is turned on.

[0028] First, the controller 10 acquires the instruction direction of the current forward / backward lever 21 and the detection result of the traveling state of the vehicle body 1 by the rotation sensor 45 (step S1). The traveling state of the vehicle body 1 by the rotation sensor 45 is, as described above, each state of whether the vehicle body 1 is moving forward, moving backward, or stopped (parked). In the first embodiment, the controller 10 determines that the vehicle body 1 is traveling when the rotation speed of the front wheel 3 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and determines that the vehicle body 1 is stopped when the rotation speed of the front wheel 3 is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value.

[0029] Next, the controller 10 determines whether the vehicle body 1 is traveling based on the traveling state of the vehicle body 1 acquired in step S1 (step S2). When the controller 10 determines that the vehicle body 1 is traveling (Yes in step S2), it enables the infrared sensor 43 corresponding to the current traveling direction of the vehicle body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 (step S3). Here, "enabling the infrared sensor 43" means enabling the detection of obstacles by one of the infrared sensors 43 and disabling the detection of obstacles by the other infrared sensor 43.

[0030] On the other hand, when the controller 10 determines that the aircraft 1 is stopped (engine stopped) (No in step S2), it determines whether the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is set to either forward or backward (step S4). When the controller 10 determines that the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is not neutral but is set to either forward or backward (Yes in step S4), it activates the infrared sensor 43 corresponding to the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 (step S5). Also, when the controller 10 determines that the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is not set to either forward or backward and is set to neutral (No in step S4), it deactivates both the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b (step S6).

[0031] In the processes of steps S3 and S5, when the controller 10 determines which infrared sensor 43 to activate, it determines whether the distance from the aircraft 1 to the obstacle detected by the infrared sensor 43 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance L (step S7). When the controller 10 determines that the distance from the aircraft 1 to the obstacle is equal to or less than the predetermined distance L (Yes in step S7), it causes an alarm to be notified to the operator. Specifically, the controller 10 controls at least one of the monitor 31, the speaker 33, and the lamp 34 to cause an alarm to be notified to the operator (step S8). More specifically, the controller 10 displays an image including a warning on the monitor 31, sounds a buzzer sound from the speaker 33, or lights the lamp 34 in a predetermined lighting pattern to indicate that the obstacle is in the front or rear. When the controller 10 notifies the alarm, it repeats the processes from step S1 and subsequent steps again.

[0032] On the other hand, when the controller 10 determines that the distance between the obstacle and the aircraft 1 is not less than the predetermined distance L (No in step S7), the process of step S8 is omitted, no alarm is notified, and the processes after step S1 are repeatedly executed again. Further, when the controller 10 invalidates both detections of the obstacle by the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b (step S6), the processes of step S7 and step S8 are omitted, no alarm is notified, and the processes after step S1 are repeatedly executed again.

[0033] (Example pattern of obstacle detection control) The obstacle detection process will be described in more detail while referring to each pattern. Table 1 shows a plurality of patterns for detecting an obstacle in the rolling machine 100. The plurality of patterns include nine patterns that divide which infrared sensor 43 to use according to the combination of the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 and the traveling state of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45.

[0034]

Table 1

[0035] (Pattern P1: The instruction direction of the forward / backward lever is forward, and the current traveling direction is forward) First, as an example of the case where it is determined in step S2 of FIG. 4 that the aircraft 1 is traveling and the process of step S3 is executed, the processes of patterns P1 to P6 will be described. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of the compaction machine 100 in pattern P1 of Table 1. In pattern P1, the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is forward, and the traveling state of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is the "forward" state. As shown in the "state" column of Table 1, pattern P1 is a state where the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 and the current traveling direction of the aircraft 1 coincide. Now, assume that the state where the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5 is set to forward and the aircraft 1 is moving forward continues as it is, as shown by the solid line. At this time, as shown in the "selection criterion" column of Table 1, since the traveling state of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is "forward", the controller 10 enables the front infrared sensor 43a as shown in the "infrared sensor" column of Table 1. As a result, the front infrared sensor 43a can detect obstacles 50 located in front of the aircraft 1.

[0036] (Pattern P2: The indicated direction of the forward / backward lever is backward, and the current traveling direction is backward) FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of the compaction machine 100 in pattern P2 of Table 1. In pattern P2, the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is backward, and the traveling state of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is the "backward" state. Pattern P2 is a state where the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 and the current traveling direction of the aircraft 1 coincide. Pattern P2 is an example where the traveling direction of the aircraft 1 is backward compared to pattern P1. The controller 10 enables the rear infrared sensor 43b in correspondence with the traveling state of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45, similar to pattern P1. As a result, the rear infrared sensor 43b can detect obstacles 50 located behind the aircraft 1.

[0037] (Pattern P3: The indicated direction of the forward / backward lever is backward, and the current traveling direction is forward) FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of the rolling machine 100 in the pattern P3 of Table 1. In the pattern P3, the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is backward, and the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is in the "forward" state. The pattern P3 is a state where the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 and the current traveling direction of the machine body 1 do not match. Now, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 7, it is assumed that the operator switches the forward / backward lever 21 from forward to backward while the machine body 1 is moving forward with the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 set to forward (see the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 7). In this case, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 7, although the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is set to backward, the machine body 1 may continue to move forward due to inertia. In this state, if the infrared sensor 43 to be used is selected based on the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21, the rear infrared sensor 43b will be selected even though the machine body 1 is moving forward. Therefore, in the case of pattern P5, as shown in the "selection criteria" column of Table 1, the controller 10 selects the infrared sensor 43 to be used based on the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45. In pattern P5, since the traveling state of the machine body 1 is "forward", as shown in the "infrared sensor" column of Table 1, the controller 10 enables the front infrared sensor 43a. As a result, the front infrared sensor 43a can detect the obstacle 50 located in front of the machine body 1.

[0038] (Pattern P4: The instruction direction of the forward / backward lever is forward, and the current traveling direction is backward) FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of the rolling machine 100 in the pattern P4 of Table 1. In the pattern P4, the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 is forward, and the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is in the "backward" state. The pattern P4 is a state where the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 and the current traveling direction of the machine body 1 do not match. The pattern P4 is an example in which the traveling direction of the machine body 1 has changed to backward compared to the pattern P3. Similar to the pattern P3, the controller 10 enables the rear infrared sensor 43b in correspondence with the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45. As a result, even if the operator switches the forward / backward lever 21 from backward to forward (see the dashed line) while the machine body 1 is moving forward, and even if the machine body 1 continues to move backward due to inertia (see the solid white arrow), the rear infrared sensor 43b can detect an obstacle 50 located behind the machine body 1.

[0039] (Pattern P5: The direction indicated by the forward / backward lever is neutral, and the current traveling direction is forward) FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of the rolling machine 100 in the pattern P5 of Table 1. In the pattern P5, the indicated direction of the forward and backward lever 21 is neutral, and the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is in the "forward" state. The pattern P5 is a state where the indicated direction of the forward and backward lever 21 does not match the current traveling direction of the machine body 1. Now, assume a case where the rolling machine 100 is located on a slope that slopes forward and downward with the indicated direction of the forward and backward lever 21 set to neutral. In this case, if the parking brake device 13d is not operating, as indicated by the white arrow, the machine body 1 may run away and move forward due to its own weight. At this time, since the indicated direction of the forward and backward lever 21 is set to neutral, the infrared sensor 43 to be used cannot be selected based on the indicated direction of the forward and backward lever 21. Therefore, in the case of pattern P5, as shown in the "selection criteria" column of Table 1, the controller 10 selects the infrared sensor 43 to be used based on the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45. In pattern P5, since the machine body 1 is "forward", as shown in the "infrared sensor" column of Table 1, the controller 10 enables the front infrared sensor 43a. As a result, even when the machine body 1 moves forward with the indicated direction of the forward and backward lever 21 in the neutral state, the front infrared sensor 43a can detect an obstacle 50 located in front of the machine body 1.

[0040] (Pattern P6: The indicated direction of the forward and backward lever is neutral, and the current traveling direction is backward) FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of the rolling press 100 in the pattern P6 of Table 1. In the pattern P6, the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is neutral, and the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is in the "backward" state. The pattern P6 is a state where the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 and the current traveling direction of the machine body 1 do not match. The pattern P6 is an example in which the traveling direction of the machine body 1 has changed to backward compared to the pattern P5. Similar to the pattern P5, the controller 10 enables the rear infrared sensor 43b in correspondence with the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45. As a result, even when the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is neutral and the machine body 1 is moving backward, the rear infrared sensor 43b can detect an obstacle 50 located behind the machine body 1.

[0041] Next, as an example of the case where it is determined in step S2 of FIG. 4 that the machine body 1 is stopped, it is determined in step S4 that the indicated direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is set to forward or backward, and the process of step S5 is executed, the processes of pattern P7 and pattern P8 will be described.

[0042] (Pattern P7: The indicated direction of the forward / backward lever is forward and the machine body is stopped) FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of the rolling machine 100 in the pattern P7 of Table 1. The pattern P7 is a state where the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 is forward, and the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is "stopped (parked)". The pattern P7 is a state where the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 does not match the current traveling direction of the machine body 1. The pattern P7 is a state where the operator has set the forward / backward lever 21 to forward but has not depressed the accelerator pedal 37. Also, the pattern P7 includes a state where the operator sets the forward / backward lever 21 to forward, depresses the accelerator pedal 37, and then there is a delay until the rotation sensor 45 detects the rotation of the front wheels 3 and the detection result is input to the controller 10. At this time, as shown in the "selection criteria" column of Table 1, the controller 10 selects the infrared sensor 43 to be used based on the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21. In the pattern P7, since the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 is forward, as shown in the "infrared sensor" column of Table 1, the controller 10 enables the front infrared sensor 43a. As a result, when the operator sets the forward / backward lever 21 to forward and attempts to move the stopped machine body 1 forward, the front infrared sensor 43a can detect an obstacle 50 located in front of the machine body 1.

[0043] (Pattern P8: The direction indicated by the forward / backward lever is backward and the machine body is stopped) FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of the rolling machine 100 in the pattern P8 of Table 1. The pattern P8 is a state where the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 is backward, and the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is "stopped (parked)". The pattern P8 is a state where the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 does not match the current traveling direction of the machine body 1. The pattern P8 is an example where the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 is backward compared to the pattern P7. The controller 10 enables the rear infrared sensor 43b corresponding to the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 in the same manner as in the pattern P7. As a result, when the operator sets the forward / backward lever 21 to backward and attempts to move the stopped machine body 1 backward, the rear infrared sensor 43b can detect an obstacle 50 located behind the machine body 1.

[0044] (Pattern P9: The direction indicated by the forward / backward lever is neutral and the machine body is stopped) Pattern P9 in Table 1 is an example when the process of step S8 in FIG. 4 is executed. In Pattern P9, the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 is neutral, and the traveling state of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 is the state of "stopped (parked)". At this time, as shown in the columns of "selection criteria" and "infrared sensor" in Table 1, the controller 10 does not activate any of the infrared sensors 43, that is, both the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b are deactivated, and no obstacle detection is performed.

[0045] (Effect of the First Embodiment) As described above, the rolling machine 100 as a working machine according to the first embodiment includes the machine body 1, the forward / backward lever 21 for switching the traveling direction of the machine body 1, the infrared sensors 43 (obstacle detection devices) for detecting obstacles located in front of and behind the machine body 1, and a controller 10 (control device) for determining the presence or absence of an obstacle based on the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 and the detection information output by the infrared sensors 43. The infrared sensors 43 include a front infrared sensor 43a (first obstacle detection device) for detecting an obstacle located in front of the machine body 1 and a rear infrared sensor 43b (second obstacle detection device) for detecting an obstacle located behind the machine body 1. In the rolling machine 100 (working machine), a rotation sensor 45 (traveling state detection means) for detecting the traveling state including the traveling direction of the machine body 1 is provided. The controller 10 determines whether the machine body 1 is traveling or stopped based on the traveling state detected by the rotation sensor 45. When it is determined that the machine body 1 is traveling, the presence or absence of an obstacle is determined based on one of the detection information corresponding to the traveling direction of the machine body 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 among the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b. When it is determined that the machine body 1 is stopped, the presence or absence of an obstacle is determined based on one of the detection information corresponding to the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 among the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b.

[0046] With this configuration, when the machine body 1 is in a traveling state of either forward or backward movement (in the cases of patterns P1 to P6), the infrared sensor 43 can detect an obstacle on the current traveling direction side detected by the rotation sensor 45. In particular, like in patterns P3 and P4, after the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is switched during the travel of the machine body 1 and the machine body 1 continues to move in the original traveling direction due to inertia force and the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is different from the actual traveling direction, obstacles located on the actual traveling direction side can still be detected. Also, like in patterns P5 and P6, even if the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is in the neutral state and the machine body 1 moves unintentionally on a slope or the like, obstacles located on the actual traveling direction side can be detected. On the other hand, when the machine body 1 is stopped (in the cases of patterns P7 and P8), the infrared sensor 43 can detect an obstacle on the direction side corresponding to the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21. As a result, before the operator steps on the accelerator pedal 37 or before the rotation sensor 45 detects the rotation of the front wheel 3 after the operator steps on the accelerator pedal 37 and the detection result is input to the controller 10, obstacles in the direction in which the machine body 1 is scheduled to travel can be detected in advance. Therefore, according to the compaction machine 100 according to the first embodiment, obstacles located on the traveling direction side of the machine body 1 can be appropriately detected.

[0047] Note that in this embodiment, it is assumed that the machine body 1 starts traveling after the accelerator pedal 37 is stepped on. However, depending on the type of work machine, there may be a case where the drive device is controlled so that the machine body 1 starts traveling when the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is set to either forward or backward. Even in that case, it often takes some time from when the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is set to either forward or backward until the machine body 1 actually starts moving. Therefore, also in the work machine with such a configuration, it is preferable to select the infrared sensor 43 on the direction side corresponding to the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 in advance and detect obstacles in the direction in which the machine body 1 is scheduled to travel in order to more reliably detect obstacles.

[0048] Also, in the first embodiment, the traveling state detection means is a rotation sensor 45 that detects the rotation speed and rotation direction of the rotation axis of the wheels of the aircraft 1. With this configuration, the traveling state of the aircraft 1, that is, each state of whether the aircraft 1 is moving forward, moving backward, or stopped (parked), can be detected with a simple configuration.

[0049] Also, in the first embodiment, when the controller 10 determines that the aircraft 1 has stopped based on the traveling state detected by the rotation sensor 45 and the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is neutral, the detection of obstacles by the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b is disabled. With this configuration, when the aircraft 1 is stopped and there is no plan to travel, neither infrared sensor 43 detects obstacles, so it is possible to suppress frequent alarms and avoid bothering the operator and surrounding workers.

[0050] Also, like the rolling machine 100 according to the first embodiment, by enabling one infrared sensor 43 and disabling the other infrared sensor 43 based on the traveling state detected by the rotation sensor 45 and the instruction direction of the forward / backward lever 21, it is possible to suppress the alarm from being notified by an obstacle on the side opposite to the traveling direction or the planned traveling direction of the aircraft 1, that is, the side where the aircraft 1 is moving away. As a result, it is possible to avoid bothering the operator and surrounding workers.

[0051] [Second Embodiment] Next, the rolling machine 100 according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the process of obstacle detection control executed in the rolling machine 100 according to the second embodiment. The rolling machine 100 according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the rolling machine 100 according to the first embodiment, except that the controller executes the process shown in FIG. 13 instead of the process shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, also in the second embodiment, each component is assigned the same reference numeral as the rolling machine 100 according to the first embodiment, and the description of the same configuration is omitted.

[0052] In the second embodiment, after the rolling machine 100 is keyed on, the controller 10 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 13 at a predetermined cycle. In the process shown in FIG. 13, the processes from step S10 to step S16 are the same as the processes from step S1 to step S6 shown in FIG. 4, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

[0053] In the processes of step S13 and step S15, when the controller 10 determines which infrared sensor 43 to activate, it determines whether the current traveling direction of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 matches the instructed direction of the forward / backward lever 21 (step S17). When the controller 10 determines that the current traveling direction of the aircraft 1 matches the instructed direction of the forward / backward lever 21 (Yes in step S17), it determines whether the distance between the obstacle detected by the infrared sensor 43 and the aircraft 1 is equal to or less than a first predetermined distance L1 (step S18). The case where the current traveling direction of the aircraft 1 matches the instructed direction of the forward / backward lever 21 is the case of patterns P1 and P2 in Table 1 (FIGS. 5 and 6). The first predetermined distance L1 is set to be longer than a second predetermined distance L2, which will be described later. When the controller 10 determines that the distance between the obstacle and the aircraft 1 is equal to or less than the first predetermined distance L1 (Yes in step S18), it causes an alarm to be notified to the operator (step S19). After causing the alarm to be notified, the controller 10 repeatedly executes the processes from step S11 and later again. On the other hand, when the controller 10 determines that the distance between the obstacle and the aircraft 1 is not equal to or less than the first predetermined distance L1 (No in step S18), it omits the process of step S19, does not cause the alarm to be notified, and repeatedly executes the processes from step S11 and later again.

[0054] Further, when the controller 10 determines that the current traveling direction of the aircraft 1 does not match the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 (No in step S17), it determines whether the distance between the obstacle detected by the infrared sensor 43 and the aircraft 1 is equal to or less than a second predetermined distance L2 (step S20). The case where the current traveling direction of the aircraft 1 does not match the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 is the case of patterns P3 to P8 (FIGS. 7 to 12) in Table 1. The second predetermined distance L2 is set to be shorter than the first predetermined distance L1. When the controller 10 determines that the distance between the obstacle and the aircraft 1 is equal to or less than the second predetermined distance L2 (Yes in step S20), it causes an alarm to be notified to the operator (step S19). When the controller 10 causes an alarm to be notified, it repeatedly executes the processes after step S11 again. On the other hand, when the controller 10 determines that the distance between the obstacle and the aircraft 1 is not equal to or less than the second predetermined distance L2 (No in step S20), it omits the process of step S19, does not notify an alarm, and repeatedly executes the processes after step S11 again.

[0055] Also, when the controller 10 invalidates both detections of obstacles by the front infrared sensor 43a and the rear infrared sensor 43b (step S16), it omits the processes after step S17, does not notify an alarm, and repeatedly executes the processes after step S11 again.

[0056] As described above, in the rolling press machine 100 according to the second embodiment, when the controller 10 determines that the aircraft 1 is traveling based on the traveling state detected by the rotation sensor 45, and the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 matches the traveling direction of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45, when the distance to the obstacle is equal to or less than the first predetermined distance L1, it determines that there is an obstacle in the traveling direction of the aircraft 1. When the controller 10 determines that the aircraft 1 is traveling based on the traveling state detected by the rotation sensor 45, and the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 does not match the traveling direction of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45, when the distance to the obstacle is equal to or less than a second predetermined distance L2 that is shorter than the first predetermined distance L1, it determines that there is an obstacle in the traveling direction of the aircraft 1.

[0057] With this configuration, when the aircraft 1 is in a traveling state of either moving forward or backward, and the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 matches the traveling direction of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 (in the cases of patterns P1 and P2), it is possible to determine that there is an obstacle at a point in time when the distance between the aircraft 1 and the obstacle is longer compared to the case of a mismatch (patterns P3 to P6).

[0058] That is, in the cases of patterns P1 (Fig. 5) and P2 (Fig. 6), while the drive unit 5 attempts to move the aircraft 1 in the current traveling direction, in the cases of patterns P3 (Fig. 7) and P4 (Fig. 8), there is a possibility that the drive unit 5 is already attempting to move the aircraft 1 in the direction opposite to the current traveling direction. Also, in the cases of patterns P5 (Fig. 9) and P6 (Fig. 10), the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 is neutral, and the drive unit 5 is not attempting to move the aircraft 1. Therefore, in the cases of patterns P1 and P2, the possibility that the aircraft 1 moves faster in the current traveling direction side is higher compared to the cases of patterns P3 to P6. Thus, the first predetermined distance L1 from the aircraft 1 to the obstacle when it is determined that there is an obstacle in the cases of patterns P1 and P2 is set longer than the second predetermined distance L2 from the aircraft 1 to the obstacle when it is determined that there is an obstacle in the cases of patterns P3 to P6. Thereby, in the cases of patterns P1 and P2, compared to the cases of patterns P3 to P6, detection determination of obstacles in a farther region is performed, and an alarm is notified to the operator and surrounding workers, so that the operator and surrounding workers can recognize earlier that the aircraft 1 and the obstacle are approaching. That is, in the cases of patterns P1 and P2 where the braking distance is relatively long, the operator or surrounding workers can perform an avoidance action in a situation where the aircraft 1 and the obstacle are sufficiently separated. On the other hand, in the cases of patterns P3 to P6 where the braking distance is relatively short, compared to the cases of patterns P1 and P2, detection determination of obstacles is limited to a region closer to the aircraft 1, so that it is possible to suppress frequent notification of alarms and avoid bothering the operator and surrounding workers.

[0059] (Modification example) Although the description of the embodiments has been completed above, the aspects of the present invention are not limited to this embodiment. For example, in the first and second embodiments, the rolling machine 100 has been described as an example. However, the configurations of the first and second embodiments are not limited to the rolling machine 100. Any working machine may be applicable as long as it includes a forward and reverse lever for switching the traveling direction of the machine body, an obstacle detection device provided in the front and rear of the machine body, and a traveling state detection means for detecting the current traveling direction of the machine body.

[0060] Also, in the first and second embodiments, the rotation sensor 45 for detecting the rotation direction of the rotation axis of the front wheel 3 is used to detect the current traveling direction of the machine body 1. However, as long as the traveling state detection means can detect the current traveling direction of the machine body 1, it may be other than the rotation sensor 45. The traveling state detection means may be composed of, for example, a photographing device that photographs the front and rear of the machine body 1 and a processing device that detects the traveling direction of the machine body 1 by performing image processing on the image photographed by the photographing device. Note that the image processing may be any well-known image processing method.

[0061] Also, in the first and second embodiments, the infrared sensor 43 is used to detect obstacles. However, the obstacle detection device is not limited to the infrared sensor as long as it can detect obstacles and measure the distance. For example, it may be a sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor.

[0062] Also, in the first and second embodiments, when the controller 10 performs an obstacle detection determination, alarm control for notifying the operator of an alarm is performed. However, the control after the obstacle detection determination is not limited to this. For example, when the controller 10 performs an obstacle detection determination, deceleration control for controlling the drive unit 5 (engine 11 and HST 13) may be performed so that the aircraft 1 tends to decelerate with respect to the obstacle. Further, for example, when the controller 10 performs an obstacle detection determination, the drive unit 5 (engine 11 and HST 13) may be controlled to stop the aircraft 1, or braking control may be performed to apply braking to the aircraft 1 by the parking brake device 13d or the service brake device 13e.

[0063] Note that the alarm control, deceleration control, and braking control may be executed stepwise according to the distance between the aircraft 1 and the obstacle. That is, a plurality of the above-described predetermined distances L (first predetermined distance L1, second predetermined distance L2) for performing the obstacle detection determination are set stepwise corresponding to the alarm control, deceleration control, and braking control, and when the distance from the aircraft 1 to the obstacle becomes equal to or less than the above-described predetermined distance L (first predetermined distance L1, second predetermined distance L2), the alarm control, deceleration control, and braking control may be sequentially performed. In that case, it is preferable that the above-described predetermined distance L (first predetermined distance L1, second predetermined distance L2) is set to be longer in the order of the alarm control, deceleration control, and braking control.

[0064] Also, for example, in the second embodiment, when the aircraft 1 is in a traveling state of either forward or backward and the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever 21 matches the traveling direction of the aircraft 1 detected by the rotation sensor 45 (in the case of patterns P1 and P2), deceleration control or braking control may be performed after the obstacle detection determination, and in the case of a mismatch (in the case of patterns P3 to P6), only the alarm control may be performed after the obstacle detection determination. However, if the speed of the aircraft 1 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, deceleration control or braking control may also be performed in the case of patterns P3 to P6.

[0065] Also, in the first and second embodiments, the controller 10 determines that there is an obstacle when the distance from the aircraft 1 to the obstacle is equal to or less than a predetermined distance L (the first predetermined distance L1, the second predetermined distance L2). However, the controller 10 may consider not only the distance from the aircraft 1 to the obstacle but also the speed of the aircraft 1. That is, the controller 10 may calculate an estimated time until the aircraft 1 reaches the obstacle based on the speed of the aircraft 1 and the distance from the aircraft 1 to the obstacle, and determine that there is an obstacle when the estimated time is within a predetermined time.

Explanation of Signs

[0066] 1 Aircraft 10 Controller (Control Device) 21 Forward / Backward Lever 43 Infrared Sensor (First Obstacle Detection Device and Second Obstacle Detection Device) 43a Front Infrared Sensor (First Obstacle Detection Device) 43b Rear Infrared Sensor (Second Obstacle Detection Device) 45 Rotation Sensor (Traveling State Detection Means) 50 Obstacle 100 Rolling Machine

Claims

1. A machine body, A forward and backward lever for switching the traveling direction of the machine body, An obstacle detection device for detecting obstacles located in front of and behind the machine body, A control device for determining the presence or absence of an obstacle based on the instruction direction of the forward and backward lever and the detection information output by the obstacle detection device, comprising, The obstacle detection device, A first obstacle detection device for detecting the obstacle located in front of the machine body, A second obstacle detection device for detecting the obstacle located behind the machine body, In a working machine composed of, Traveling state detection means for detecting a traveling state including the traveling direction of the machine body is provided, The control device, Based on the traveling state detected by the traveling state detection means, determines whether the machine body is traveling or stopped, When it is determined that the machine body is traveling, based on one of the detection information corresponding to the traveling direction of the machine body detected by the traveling state detection means among the first obstacle detection device and the second obstacle detection device, determines the presence or absence of the obstacle, When it is determined that the machine body is stopped, based on one of the detection information corresponding to the instruction direction of the forward and backward lever among the first obstacle detection device and the second obstacle detection device, determines the presence or absence of the obstacle Working machine.

2. The control device, When it is determined based on the traveling state detected by the traveling state detection means that the machine body is traveling, and the instruction direction of the forward and backward lever and the traveling direction of the machine body detected by the traveling state detection means are the same, when the distance to the obstacle is equal to or less than a first predetermined distance, determines that there is an obstacle in the traveling direction of the machine body, When it is determined that the machine body is running based on the running state detected by the running state detection means, and the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever does not match the traveling direction of the machine body detected by the running state detection means, when the distance to the obstacle is equal to or less than a second predetermined distance shorter than the first predetermined distance, it is determined that there is an obstacle in the traveling direction of the machine body The working machine according to claim 1.

3. The working machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the running state detection means is a rotation sensor that detects the rotation speed and rotation direction of the rotation axis of the wheels of the machine body.

4. The control device invalidates the detection of the obstacle by the first obstacle detection device and the second obstacle detection device when it is determined that the machine body is stopped based on the running state detected by the running state detection means and the direction indicated by the forward / backward lever is neutral. The working machine according to claim 1 or 2.

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