Vehicle Guidance Device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle guide device attached to a road cutting machine used for pavement surface repair work and the like, to instruct a vehicle such as a dump truck for loading cutting chips to travel in reverse (forward) and stop, and to easily guide the vehicle to a desired position.SOLUTION: A vehicle guide device attached to a road cutting machine 20 that conveys cutting chips generated when cutting a pavement surface to a belt conveyor 37 extending in front of a vehicle body 21, and that guides a vehicle 40 under the belt conveyor, comprises: a pair of projection devices 4, 5 provided on both the left and right sides of the belt conveyor; and a pair of lights 2, 3 provided on the front left and right sides of the vehicle body for illuminating the front of the vehicle. The projection devices project onto the road surface a guide line P for guiding the vehicle. Instructions to stop the movement of the vehicle are indicated by the lights.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle guidance device attached to a road milling machine, and more particularly to a vehicle guidance device for guiding the backing up of a vehicle such as a dump truck for carrying cuttings generated when cutting a paved road surface with a road milling machine during repair work on a paved road surface. [Background technology]

[0002] The present applicant has disclosed in Patent Document 1 a self-propelled cutting machine used for repair work on paved road surfaces and the like. 7 is a side view of a self-propelled cutting machine 60 disclosed in Patent Document 1. This self-propelled cutting machine 60 is equipped with a cutting drum 62 that can be rotated at high speed by an engine 61, and the cutting drum 62 cuts the paved road to be repaired.

[0003] As shown in the figure, this self-propelled cutting machine 60 is equipped with a first belt conveyor 64 for transporting cutting chips C cut by a cutting drum 62 from a cutting drum chamber 63, followed by a second belt conveyor 65, and the cutting chips C transported by the second belt conveyor 65 are transported to a dump truck 70.

[0004] The cuttings C are transported from the self-propelled cutting machine 60 to the dump truck 70 as follows. The self-propelled cutting machine 60 performs cutting work while moving forward. As described above, the cuttings C are transported from the first belt conveyor 64 to the second belt conveyor 65, but when the cuttings C reach near the end of the second belt conveyor 65, they need to be transported to the bed of the dump truck 70. Therefore, when the cutting chips C reach near the tip of the second belt conveyor 65, the self-propelled cutting machine 60 stops forward travel and stops driving the belt conveyor. Next, the dump truck 70 is moved backward toward the self-propelled cutting machine 60, and its loading platform is positioned directly below the tip of the second belt conveyor 65.

[0005] When the loading platform of the dump truck 70 is positioned directly below the tip of the second belt conveyor 65, the self-propelled cutting machine 60 resumes driving the second belt conveyor 65 and transports all of the cutting chips C on the conveyor onto the loading platform of the dump truck 70. When all of the cutting chips C on the conveyor have been removed onto the loading platform of the dump truck 70, the dump truck 70 moves forward and moves away from the self-propelled cutting machine 60. Then, the self-propelled cutting machine 60 starts cutting work again while moving forward, and new cutting chips C are transported from the first belt conveyor 64 to the second belt conveyor 65.

[0006] As described above, when the cutting chips C on the belt conveyor are transported onto the loading platform of the dump truck 70, the dump truck 70 backs up toward the self-propelled cutting machine 60 and positions its loading platform directly below the tip of the second belt conveyor 65. However, because there are no markers indicating the stopping position when the dump truck 70 is backing up, the only option is to rely on the manual guidance of the worker operating the self-propelled cutting machine 60 or the intuitive judgment of the driver of the dump truck 70 through visual inspection, etc., and the distance between the dump truck 70 and the self-propelled cutting machine 60 when the dump truck 70 stops backing up is likely to change each time. In other words, if the distance between the dump truck 70 and the self-propelled cutting machine 60 changes each time, the position on the truck bed where the cutting chips fall from the second belt conveyor 65 changes, which changes the load balance of the cutting chips C and poses a risk of danger to the dump truck 70 when it is traveling.

[0007] A conventional technique for guiding a vehicle to a desired stopping position is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 2. Patent Document 2 discloses a parking facility where a vehicle drives itself from the entrance to a parking position, and the parking facility is equipped with a position detection device and a projection mapping device. The position detection device is installed within the vehicle's driving range and detects the vehicle's position. The position detection device detects the vehicle's position, and the projection mapping device can project an image containing guidance appropriate to the vehicle's position onto a wall or floor. According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, a vehicle can be guided and stopped at a predetermined position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6499994 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-139368 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 simply projects a guide image onto the floor or the like using a device fixedly installed in a parking lot, and is difficult to apply to cases such as the relationship between a self-propelled cutting machine 60 and a dump truck 70, where the two repeatedly move and stop with each other and the location where guidance is required changes each time. Furthermore, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 simply displays information to guide the vehicle to a parking position, and is not capable of directly instructing a moving vehicle (dump truck 70) to move backward (forward) or stop.

[0010] The present invention has been made in light of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle guidance device that is attached to a road cutting machine used in repair work on paved road surfaces, and that can instruct vehicles such as dump trucks used to load cuttings to move backward (forward) or stop, and can easily guide the vehicle to a desired position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The vehicle guidance device of the present invention, which was developed to solve the above-mentioned problems, is attached to a road cutting machine that transports cutting chips generated when cutting a paved road surface onto a belt conveyor extended in front of the vehicle body, and guides the vehicle below the belt conveyor.The vehicle guidance device is characterized by having a pair of projection devices provided on both the left and right sides of the belt conveyor, and a pair of lights provided on the left and right front sides of the vehicle body that illuminate the area ahead of the vehicle, and is characterized in that the projection devices project a display that guides the vehicle onto the road surface, and the lights issue instructions to stop the vehicle's movement. Furthermore, the display by the projection device is a guide line that is projected onto the road surface on both the left and right sides of the vehicle to guide the vehicle, and it is desirable that the guide line be a double line that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on both the left and right sides of the vehicle, and that it indicates the allowable range in the width direction of the vehicle. It is also desirable that a pair of lights provided on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle body illuminate or flash in a predetermined color to instruct the vehicle to stop. It is also desirable that a pair of lights provided on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle body illuminate or flash in a predetermined color to indicate that the vehicle should move forward from a stopped state. It is also desirable to have a sensor provided at the front of the vehicle body for measuring the distance to the vehicle, and to make the projection device and the light emit light in accordance with the measurement result by the sensor.

[0012] Thus, the vehicle guidance device of the present invention comprises a pair of lights that are provided on the left and right front sides of the vehicle body of the road cutting machine and emit light forward, and a pair of projection devices that are provided on both the left and right sides of the belt conveyor and project light onto the road surface. That is, the projection device projects guide displays onto the road surface, and the lights turn on and flash to instruct vehicles such as dump trucks to stop or back up. This makes it easy to guide dump trucks to the desired location even if the position of the road milling machine changes each time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle guidance device that is attached to a road cutting machine used in repair work on paved road surfaces, and that can instruct vehicles such as dump trucks for loading cuttings to move backward (forward) and stop, and can easily guide them to a desired position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a road milling machine equipped with a vehicle guide device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the road milling machine of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a front view of the road milling machine of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a drive control circuit for the flashlight device and the projection device provided in the vehicle guidance device of the present invention. [Figure 5] 5(a) and 5(b) are plan views showing examples of pattern data of guide lines projected by a projection device. [Figure 6] 6(a) and 6(b) are plan views showing other examples of pattern data of guide lines projected by the projection device. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of a conventional self-propelled cutting machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The vehicle guidance device according to the present invention will be described below. Fig. 1 is a side view of a road milling machine equipped with a vehicle guidance device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the road milling machine of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a front view of the road milling machine of Fig. 1. The vehicle guidance device according to the present invention is a device that is attached to a road milling machine and that guides a vehicle such as a dump truck for carrying cuttings generated when the road is milled.

[0016] First, an example of the configuration of a road milling machine to which the vehicle guidance device of the present invention can be attached will be described with reference to the drawings. The road milling machine 20 shown in Figure 1 comprises a driver's seat 22 with a handlebar 28 etc. provided in the middle of the vehicle body 21, an engine 23 which is a drive device provided in the rear of the vehicle body 21, and a plurality of tires 24 driven by the engine 23.

[0017] An alternator (not shown) is disposed near the engine 23, which generates power for electrical components using the rotation of the engine 23 as a power source. The alternating current generated by the alternator is converted to direct current and stored in a battery (not shown), and is then converted back to alternating current by an AC / DC inverter (not shown), making it possible to supply power from a main operation panel 26 provided near the driver's seat 22.

[0018] Furthermore, the road milling machine 20 is provided with a milling drum 30 provided in the width direction at the rear lower part of the vehicle body 21 and equipped with a large number of milling bits. The cutting drum 30 is rotatable at high speed by a dedicated engine (not shown) and is configured to cut the paved road to be repaired. The cutting drum 30 is housed in a cutting drum chamber 32. The cutting drum chamber 32 is formed by a cover plate 31 that covers the top, front, rear, left and right sides of the cutting drum 30. In this way, the cover plate 31 covers the top and front, back, left and right sides of the cutting drum 30, making the cutting drum chamber 32 almost sealed, thereby preventing dust from flying out of the cutting drum chamber 32.

[0019] The road milling machine 20 is also provided with a first belt conveyor 35 for transporting the cutting chips produced by the cutting drum 30 from the cutting drum chamber 7. The starting end of this first belt conveyor 35 is provided in the cutting drum chamber 32, and the terminal end of the first belt conveyor 35 is positioned at the front of the vehicle body 21. The upper part of this first belt conveyor 35, i.e., the space through which the cutting chips are transported, is covered with a cover member 35a and sealed, so as to prevent dust from scattering to the outside.

[0020] Furthermore, a second belt conveyor 37 is provided on the upper front part of the vehicle body 21, which is movable in the vertical and horizontal directions by a link mechanism 36, and which receives cutting chips from the first belt conveyor 35 and transports them to the loading platform of the dump truck 40 (vehicle). As with the first belt conveyor 35, the upper part of the second belt conveyor 37, i.e., the space through which cutting chips are transported, is covered with a cover member 37a, making it airtight and preventing dust from scattering to the outside. In this way, the path from the cutting drum chamber 32 to the terminal end of the second belt conveyor 37 is in a substantially sealed state, and is configured to prevent dust from scattering to the outside.

[0021] As described above, the vehicle guidance device according to the present invention is attached to the road milling machine 20. That is, the vehicle guidance device comprises a pair of flashlight devices 2, 3 (a pair of lights) provided on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle body 21, and a pair of projection devices 4, 5 provided on both the left and right sides of the second belt conveyor 37. Furthermore, the vehicle guidance device of the present invention comprises a distance measurement sensor 15, for example of an ultrasonic measurement type, provided on the front of the vehicle body 21 to measure the distance to the dump truck (vehicle) ahead.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the drive control circuits for the flashlight devices 2 and 3 and the projection devices 4 and 5. As shown in FIG. For example, a control unit 7, which is a computer, is provided inside a main operation panel 26 provided near the driver's seat, and this control unit 7 controls the operations of the flashlight devices 2 and 3 and the projection devices 4 and 5, respectively.

[0023] The flashlight devices 2 and 3 each consist of three lights 2a, 2b, and 2c (3a, 3b, and 3c) arranged vertically, for example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and are arranged in the order of blue light, white light, and red light from top to bottom. All of the lights 2a, 2b, and 2c (3a, 3b, and 3c) are arranged to irradiate light toward the front of the vehicle.

[0024] The projection devices 4 and 5 are, for example, projectors that project image data supplied through the control unit 7 onto the road surface below. The control unit 7 is connected to a storage device 12 such as a nonvolatile memory, and the storage device 12 stores, as image data, pattern data P of guide lines for guiding the dump truck 40 in the reverse direction, for example.

[0025] The guide line pattern data P is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a double line (P) extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction on each of the left and right sides of the dump truck 40, as shown in FIG. 5(a). By displaying the double line (P) extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction on each of the left and right sides of the dump truck 40, it is possible to indicate the allowable range in the width direction of the dump truck 40. Note that, for example, by coloring the double line (P) blue on the inside and red on the outside, it is possible to call attention to the dump truck 40 not to go beyond the outer red line. Furthermore, an arrow pattern P1 indicating the forward direction of the dump truck may be added outside the double line (P) in FIG. 5(a). It is preferable to display this arrow pattern in blue.

[0026] Further, as another pattern data P of the guide lines, for example, as shown in Fig. 5(b), pattern data of arrows arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and indicating the direction in which the dump truck is to be reversed may be used. In this case, the arrows may be displayed in a flowing animation by repeatedly flashing multiple arrows arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, a linear pattern P2 indicating the position of a stop line may be added to the dump truck side of the arrow pattern data indicating the reverse direction of the dump truck in Fig. 5(b). This arrow pattern is preferably displayed in red. Furthermore, since the linear pattern P2 indicating the stop line position is projected forward and below the road surface cutting machine 2, the projection devices 4 and 5 may be further provided with projection devices 4a and 5a that project forward and below the road surface cutting machine 2.

[0027] As another pattern data P of the guide line, for example, a STOP sign may be projected onto the road surface as shown in FIG. 6(a) to urge the backing up dump truck 40 to stop, or the letters OK may be projected onto the road surface as shown in FIG. 6(b). In addition, in FIG. 6(a), similarly to FIG. 5(b), a linear pattern P2 indicating the stop line position may be projected.

[0028] The main operation panel 26 has a pair of flashlight devices 2 and 3 for controlling the light emission operation, as shown in FIG. Second Switch units 8 and 9 are provided, respectively, and a pair of switches for controlling the light emission operations of the projection devices 4 and 5 are provided. First A switch section 10 is provided. The switch units 8 and 9 are provided with lighting switches 8a, 8b, 8c (9a, 9b, 9c) in blue, white, and red, respectively, and are configured so that when an operator presses each lighting switch, the corresponding lights 2a, 2b, 2c (3a, 3b, 3c) of the flashlight devices 2 and 3 are turned on.

[0029] It is desirable to provide not only the lighting switch but also flashing switches 8d, 8e, 8f (9d, 9e, 9f) as shown in the figure so that each of the lights 2a, 2b, 2c (3a, 3b, 3c) flashes at a predetermined cycle. In this case, for example, if the blue light 8a flashes, it can be distinguished from an instruction to the dump truck 40 that it is OK to move backward, and if the blue light 8a is lit, it can be distinguished from an instruction to the dump truck 40 that it is OK to move forward.

[0030] In addition, the switch unit 10 is provided with multiple projection switches 10a, 10b, 10c (three in the figure) for selecting guide lines to be projected onto the road surface or pattern data for stop instructions, and when the worker presses the selected projection switch 10a, 10b, 10c, the control unit 7 reads out the selected pattern data from the memory device 12 and projects the pattern P onto the road surface using the projection devices 4 and 5. In addition, the stop line display may be added to the pattern P on the road surface displayed by the projection switch (arrow flow guide) 10b and the projection switch (stop display) 10c, as described above.

[0031] Further, the distance measuring sensor 15 measures the distance to the dump truck 40 located in front of the vehicle body 21, and outputs the measured distance to the control unit . If the measured distance is shorter than the preset distance, the control unit 7 displays, for example, a red lamp (not shown) at a predetermined location on the main operation panel 26 to indicate that the dump truck is closer to the road milling machine 20 than the preset distance, so as to make the worker aware of this. In response to this lamp display, the worker operates switches 8 and 9 to turn on or flash the red lights 2c and 3c of the flashlight devices 2 and 3, thereby urging the driver of the dump truck 40 to stop backing up or maintain a stopped state. At this time, the switch 10 is operated to cause the projection devices 4 and 5 to project a predetermined pattern onto the road surface to prompt the driver of the dump truck 40 to stop.

[0032] On the other hand, if the measured distance is greater than the preset distance, the control unit 7 displays, for example, a blue lamp (not shown) at a predetermined location on the main operation panel 26 to indicate that the dump truck is farther away than the preset distance, so that the worker can recognize it. In response to this lamp display, the worker operates the switches 8 and 9 to flash or light the blue lights 2a and 3a of the flashlight devices 2 and 3, thereby urging the dump truck driver to back up the dump truck. At this time, the switch 10 is operated to project a predetermined pattern onto the road surface by the projection devices 4 and 5 so that the driver of the dump truck 40 can be guided to accurately reverse the dump truck 40 .

[0033] Alternatively, when the measured distance is shorter than a preset distance, the control unit 7 may automatically flash or light the red lights 2c, 3c of the flashlight devices 2, 3 to urge the dump truck driver to stop backing up or maintain a stopped state. At the same time, the projection devices 4, 5 may project a predetermined pattern onto the road surface to urge the dump truck driver to stop backing up.

[0034] On the other hand, when the measured distance is greater than a preset distance, the control unit 7 may, for example, flash or light the blue lights 2a, 3a of the flashlight devices 2, 3 to urge the dump truck driver to back up the dump truck. At the same time, it is desirable to project a predetermined pattern onto the road surface using the projection devices 4, 5 so as to accurately guide the dump truck driver to back up the dump truck. The automatic lighting control of the flashlight devices 2 and 3 and the projection devices 4 and 5 based on the measurement results of the distance measuring sensor 15 is as follows: The first and second It is desirable to be able to set it to take priority over the operation control of the switch units 8, 9, and 10.

[0035] Next, a series of work operations performed by the road milling machine 20 equipped with the vehicle guidance device configured in this way and the dump truck 40 that collects the cuttings will be described. The road milling machine 20 rotates the cutting drum 30 at high speed while self-propelling the vehicle body 21 at a work site, cutting the paved road surface. The cutting chips generated by cutting are carried out from the cutting drum 30 to the first belt conveyor 35, and then from the first belt conveyor 35 to the second belt conveyor 37. When the cutting chips have piled up near the tip of the second belt conveyor 37, the operator of the road milling machine 20 stops the vehicle body 21 from moving and stops the drive of the first belt conveyor 35 and the second belt conveyor 37.

[0036] Next, the operator of the road milling machine 20 checks the display of a blue lamp (not shown) on the main operation panel 26, which is the measurement result of the distance measurement sensor 15, and then operates switches 8 and 9 to, for example, flash the blue lights 2a and 3a of the flashlight devices 2 and 3 (in this example, flashing indicates that it is OK to back up).He also operates switch unit 10 to have the projection devices 4 and 5 project guidance signs for the dump truck 40 onto the road surface.

[0037] The driver of the dump truck 40 recognizes the instruction to back up from the flashing blue lights 2a, 3a of the flashlight devices 2, 3, and backs up the dump truck 40 according to the guidance displayed by the projection devices 4, 5. When the dump truck 40 backs up and approaches the road milling machine 20 to a predetermined distance, the control unit 7 turns off the lit blue lamp (not shown) on the main operation panel 26 and displays a red lamp (not shown) instead, in accordance with the measurement results of the distance measurement sensor 15. From this display, the operator of the road milling machine 20 determines that the dump truck 40 has approached to a predetermined distance, and operates switches 8 and 9 to turn on or flash the red lights 2c and 3c of the flashlight devices 2 and 3. In addition, the operator operates switch unit 10 to have the projection devices 4 and 5 project a message onto the road surface urging the dump truck to stop.

[0038] When the dump truck stops backing up due to the light emitted by the flashlight devices 2, 3 and the projection display by the projection devices 4, 5, the road milling machine 20 resumes driving the first belt conveyor 35 and the second belt conveyor 37 while stopping the movement of the vehicle body 21. As a result, all of the cutting chips loaded on the first belt conveyor 35 and the second belt conveyor 37 are dumped onto the loading platform of the dump truck.

[0039] When all the cutting chips on the conveyor have been dumped into the loading platform of the dump truck 40, the operator of the road milling machine 20 operates the switches 8 and 9 to, for example, turn on the blue lights 2a and 3a of the flashlight devices 2 and 3 (in this example, when lit, it indicates that it is OK to proceed). The driver of the dump truck 40 checks whether the blue lights 2a, 3a of the flashlight devices 2, 3 are on, drives the dump truck 40 forward, moves away from the road milling machine 20, and transports the cuttings to a predetermined location.

[0040] The road milling machine 20 also rotates the milling drum 30 at high speed while again moving the vehicle body 21 under its own power, milling the paved road surface, and depositing new milling chips onto the first belt conveyor 35 and the second belt conveyor 37. Thereafter, the milling chips are dumped into the dump truck 40 according to the procedure described above.

[0041] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle guidance device of the present invention comprises a pair of flashlight devices 2, 3 that are provided on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle body 21 and emit light forward, and a pair of projection devices 4, 5 that are provided on both the left and right sides of the second belt conveyor 37 and project light onto the road surface. That is, the projection devices 4, 5 project guide displays onto the road surface, and the flashlight devices 2, 3 light up or blink to instruct the dump truck to stop or back up. This makes it possible to easily guide the dump truck 40 to the desired position even if the position of the road milling machine 20 changes each time.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the projection devices 4 and 5 provided on the left and right sides of the second belt conveyor 37 project guide displays such as flow patterns onto the road surface, but the present invention is not limited to this form. For example, the projection device may be provided with a magnifying lens and a light device for projecting light onto the magnifying lens and onto the road surface below, so that the guide line figures drawn on the film can be enlarged and projected onto the road surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 2. Flashlight device (light) 3. Flashlight device (light) 4 Projection device 5 Projection device 7 Control Unit 8 Switch 9 Switch 10 Switch 12 Storage device 15 Distance measurement sensor (sensor) 20 Road milling machine 21 Vehicle body 35 First conveyor belt 36 Second conveyor belt

Claims

1. A vehicle guiding device is attached to a road milling machine that conveys chips generated when milling a paved road surface onto a belt conveyor that extends in front of the vehicle body, and guides the vehicle below the belt conveyor, a pair of projection devices provided on both the left and right sides of the belt conveyor; a pair of lights provided on the left and right front sides of the vehicle body to illuminate the area ahead of the vehicle; a distance measuring sensor provided at a front portion of the vehicle body to measure a distance to the vehicle; a control unit that performs automatic lighting control to make the projection device and the light emit light in accordance with the measurement result of the distance measurement sensor; a first switch unit operated by an operator to control the pair of projection devices; a second switch unit operated by an operator to control the pair of lights; Equipped with the automatic lighting control by the control unit, which causes the projection device and the light to emit light in accordance with the measurement result by the distance measuring sensor, is performed in priority to the control of the pair of projection devices by operation of the first switch unit and the control of the pair of lights by operation of the second switch unit; A vehicle guidance system, characterized in that the projection device projects a display for guiding the vehicle onto a road surface, and the light issues an instruction to stop the movement of the vehicle.

2. The display by the projection device is a guide line that is projected on both the left and right sides of the vehicle on a road surface to guide the vehicle, 2. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the guide lines are double lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on both the left and right sides of the vehicle, and indicate an allowable range in the width direction of the vehicle.

3. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a pair of lights provided on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle body indicate that the vehicle should stop by lighting up or flashing in a predetermined color. Guidance device.

4. 4. The vehicle guidance device according to claim 3, wherein a pair of lights provided on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle body indicate that the vehicle should move forward from a stopped state by lighting or flashing in a predetermined color.

Images