Construction machinery

Abstract

To provide a construction machine that emits less greenhouse gas.SOLUTION: A construction machine comprises: a main body unit revolvable by revolving of a revolving part; a working device connected to one end side of the main body unit; a liquid tank that is provided inside the other end side of the main body unit and stores liquid fuel that does not emit greenhouse gas; and a take-off and landing portion which is provided in the main body unit and at which an unmanned flying object is capable of taking off and landing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , , , , , , ,

[0004] , , , , , , ,

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to construction machinery such as hydraulic excavators that perform excavation and loading operations, and particularly to construction machinery with a high degree of layout freedom or construction machinery with low greenhouse gas emissions.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, the development of automatic driving has also been carried out in construction machinery such as backhoes, and the automation of excavation work is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In addition, the development of vehicles with low greenhouse gas emissions has been carried out, and the application of fuel cells to backhoes is also disclosed in Patent Document 2.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, since Patent Document 1 is construction machinery with a driver's cab, there are limitations in the layout of the construction machinery. In addition, although Patent Document 2 has a detailed disclosure about fuel cells, there is no disclosure on how to install fuel cells in construction machinery. Therefore, construction machinery with low greenhouse gas emissions has not been realized.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide construction machinery with low greenhouse gas emissions.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The construction machinery according to the present invention rotates DeviceThe main body is capable of rotation through rotation. Device and the main body Device A working device connected to one end, and the main body Device A liquid tank is provided inside the other end of the main body for storing liquid fuel that does not emit greenhouse gases, and the main body top of device It is provided with a takeoff and landing section capable of taking off and landing unmanned aircraft, A moving device for moving the liquid tank to the outside from the other end of the main unit when the liquid fuel leaks, It is equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, since a liquid fuel that does not emit greenhouse gases is used, it is possible to realize construction machinery with low greenhouse gas emissions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a construction machine representing the first embodiment, where Figure 1(a) is a top view and Figure 1(b) is a front view. [Figure 2] Figure 1(b) is a schematic diagram of a construction machine when its counter mass moves. [Figure 3] Figure 3(a) is a view along arrow AA in Figure 1(b), and Figure 3(b) is a view along arrow AA in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram of the main part of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart of the heavy equipment control device of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of a construction machine representing the second embodiment, where Figure 6(a) is a top view and Figure 6(b) is a front view. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart of the heavy equipment control device 50 of this second embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows the excavation operation; Figure 8(a) shows the work device in its initial position; Figure 8(b) shows the excavation in progress; Figure 8(c) shows the excavation at the end of the process; and Figure 8(d) shows the excavation after rotation. [Figure 9]Figure 9 shows the operation following the excavation operation in Figure 8. Figure 9(a) shows the loading process, Figure 9(b) shows the working device in its initial position, Figure 9(c) shows the device after the upper main body has been rotated, and Figure 9(d) shows the excavation process. [Figure 10] Figures 10(a) and 10(b) are schematic diagrams of a construction machine representing this third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The construction machinery according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. In this embodiment, a hydraulic excavator 1 will be used as an example of the construction machinery.

[0010] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic excavator 1 representing this embodiment, where Figure 1(a) is a top view and Figure 1(b) is a front view. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the construction machine when the counter mass 43 of the hydraulic excavator 1 in Figure 1(b) moves in the -X direction. Figure 3 is a view along arrow AA in Figures 1 and 2, where Figure 3(a) is a view along arrow AA in Figure 1(b) and Figure 3(b) is a view along arrow AA in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a block diagram of the main parts of this first embodiment.

[0011] The configuration of the hydraulic excavator 1 will be explained below using Figures 1 to 4. As is clear from Figure 1, the hydraulic excavator 1 of this embodiment is an automated type without a driver's seat and is equipped with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, hereinafter referred to as drone 100). The hydraulic excavator 1 may be operated automatically at construction sites and transported on public roads on a trailer. Furthermore, the hydraulic excavator 1 may be operated automatically or remotely from a location far from the excavation site.

[0012] The hydraulic excavator 1 of this embodiment has a drive system 10 (see FIG. 4), a traveling device 20, a slewing device 30, a body device 40, and a working device 60. The hydraulic excavator 1 also has a drone 100 that can take off and land on a landing / departure section provided on the upper surface of the body device 40. Although one drone 100 is shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), a plurality of drones 100 may be provided. The drone 100 may be of a type that flies by electricity or a type that flies by a fuel cell using hydrogen.

[0013] The drive system 10 has an engine 11, a fuel tank 12, a leak sensor 13, and a generator 14. The engine 11 is an internal combustion engine, and a diesel engine is adopted in this embodiment. The engine 11 burns the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 12 to drive the generator 14. The fuel tank 12 stores ammonia (NH3) in a liquid state in this embodiment, and a remaining amount gauge (not shown) is provided inside. The liquid ammonia is vaporized by a vaporizer (not shown), and the vaporized ammonia is burned by the engine 11 together with air. Note that a plurality of fuel tanks 12 may be provided as an ammonia storage tank and a light oil storage tank. In this case, the engine 11 may be a mixed combustion type engine that burns ammonia and light oil together.

[0014] The leak sensor 13 is a liquid leakage sensor that detects leakage of the liquid ammonia stored in the fuel tank 12 or a gas sensor that detects leakage of the vaporized ammonia from around the engine 11. As the liquid leakage sensor, there are a contact detection method in which electricity flows through conduction via a liquid when the liquid contacts between two electrodes, and a non-contact detection method in which a fiber sensor is used to detect liquid leakage by utilizing reflection and transmission. Sensors of various methods can be appropriately used. As the gas sensor, there are a solid sensor using a semiconductor, an electrochemical sensor of a constant potential electrolysis type, an optical sensor using infrared rays, etc., and any sensor can be used. Note that as the leak sensor 13, both a liquid leakage sensor and a gas sensor may be installed, or either one may be installed.

[0015] The generator 14 is connected to the output shaft of the engine 11 and generates electricity by the rotational driving force of the output shaft of the engine 11. The electric power generated by the generator 14 is supplied to various cylinders, various motors, etc. as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 4. Also, although details will be described later, in the present embodiment, the engine 11, the fuel tank 12, and the generator 14 are placed on the counter mass 43 described later. Further, since the engine 11, the fuel tank 12, and the generator 14 may be exposed outside the main body device 40 according to the movement of the counter mass 43, they are covered by the cover 19.

[0016] The traveling device 20 has a pair of crawler belts 23 wound with idler wheels 21 and drive wheels 22, and a traveling motor (not shown) that drives the drive wheels 22. The hydraulic excavator 1 is traveled by driving the pair of crawler belts 23 by the drive wheels 22. The traveling motor 24 is driven by the electric power supplied from the generator 14. In the present embodiment, an in-wheel motor provided so as to be coaxially connected to the drive wheel 22 or the hub of the drive wheel 22 is adopted.

[0017] The swing device 30 is disposed between the traveling device 20 and the main body device 40. The swing device 30 includes a bearing (not shown) and a swing motor 31 to which electric power is supplied from the generator 14, and swings the main body device 40 and the working device 60. Note that the swing of the main body device 40 and the working device 60 by the swing device 30 may be performed using hydraulic pressure instead of the swing motor 31.

[0018] The main body device 40 has a flat upper surface, and on this upper surface, there are a power transmission device 15 that supplies power to the drone 100 and a shield member 16. Also, the power transmission device 15 on the upper surface of the main body device 40 serves as the takeoff and landing part of the drone 100.

[0019] The power transmission device 15 supplies power to the power receiving device 103 of the drone 100, which will be described later. In this embodiment, wireless power transfer is employed. Wireless power transfer is a method of supplying power to the power receiving device 103 without contact, and methods such as magnetic resonance and electromagnetic induction are known. The power transmission device 15 in this embodiment includes a power supply, a control circuit, and a power transmission coil. Furthermore, the power transmission device 15 may be a spatial transmission type rather than the proximity junction type described above. Spatial transmission type power supply uses electromagnetic waves such as microwaves to supply power to an object located several meters to tens of meters away (in this embodiment, the power receiving device 103 of the drone 100).

[0020] Alternatively, a contact-type power supply method may be used instead of wireless power supply. In this case, metal contacts may be provided on both the power transmission device 15 and the power receiving device 103, and power may be supplied by mechanically connecting these contacts. For example, a concave contact may be provided on the take-off and landing section, and a convex contact may be provided on the drone 100 side. There may be one concave contact and one convex contact, or multiple contacts may be provided.

[0021] The shielding member 16 shields against electromagnetic noise, and in this embodiment, it prevents electromagnetic noise generated from the power transmission device 15 and other sources from affecting the antenna 48a, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 1(a), the shielding member 16 is provided so as to surround the power transmission device 15, and also so as to surround the drone 100 when it is landed on the take-off and landing area. The shielding member 16 does not need to surround the entire drone 100, but only needs to be able to shield against electromagnetic noise that may be generated from the battery 105 and the second communication device 106, which will be described later. For this reason, the shielding member 16 surrounds the power transmission device 15 and at least a part of the drone 100. For example, permalloy, an alloy of nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe), can be used as the shielding member 16.

[0022] The main unit 40 has a working device 60 connected to its side via a swing section 41 and a swing cylinder 42. Inside the main unit 40, in addition to the aforementioned engine 11, fuel tank 12, leak sensor 13, and generator 14, there is an attitude sensor 18, a counter mass 43, a pair of sliders 44, a pair of bases 45, a motor for the counter mass 46, a first GNSS 47 (Global Navigation Satellite System) which is a global positioning system, a first communication device 48, a first memory 49, and a heavy equipment control device 50 that controls the entire hydraulic excavator 1. The main unit 40 also has an opening (not shown) for the cover 19 and the counter mass 43 to move to the outside of the main unit 40. An opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing this opening may also be provided. If this opening / closing mechanism is provided, the cover 19 may be omitted.

[0023] The attitude sensor 18, although not shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), is installed inside the main unit 40 and is a sensor that detects the attitude of the main unit 40. An inclinometer or a spirit level can be used as the attitude sensor 18.

[0024] The counter mass 43 compensates for the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1 when the work device 60 is driven, and is installed on the main body device 40 on the opposite side of the work device 60. The counter mass 43 is located on the lower side of the main body device 40 and is attached to a pair of sliders 44 spaced apart in the Y direction. This pair of sliders 44 extends in the X direction and is supported by a pair of bases 45 so as to be movable in the X direction. While conventional counter masses are installed along the vertical Z direction, the counter mass 43 of this embodiment is installed along the XY plane perpendicular to the Z direction. This allows the center of gravity of the hydraulic excavator 1 to be lowered.

[0025] The counter mass motor 46 moves the counter mass 43 by moving a pair of sliders 44 along a pair of bases 45. When the work device 60 is positioned on the +X side, the counter mass 43 moves to the -X side. When the work device 60 is positioned on the -X side due to the rotation of the slewing device 30, the counter mass 43 moves to the +X side. When the work device 60 is positioned on the +Y side, the counter mass 43 moves to the -Y side.

[0026] The size of the hydraulic excavator 1 depends on the size of the bucket 58, and the size and weight of the engine 11, fuel tank 12, generator 14, and counter mass 43 that make up the hydraulic excavator 1 also depend on the size of the bucket 58. Therefore, depending on the size of the bucket 58, a weight of approximately 1.5 to 4 tons is required to compensate for the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1 when the work device 60 is driven. Here, the weight of the engine 11 is approximately 350 kg to 600 kg, the weight of the fuel tank 12 when full is approximately 120 kg to 400 kg, and the weight of the generator 14 is approximately 450 kg to 750 kg. Adding these together, the total weight is approximately 920 kg to 1750 kg, so the weight required for the counter mass 43 is approximately 580 kg to 2750 kg. The weight of the counter mass 43 can be reduced by mounting the engine 11, fuel tank 12, and generator 14 on it. Furthermore, the counter mass 43 does not need to support the engine 11, fuel tank 12, and generator 14; it only needs to support at least one of them. Therefore, the counter mass 43 and the objects placed on it become a mass body that corrects the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0027] When the counter mass 43 supports the fuel tank 12, the weight of the fuel tank 12 decreases as fuel is used. In such cases, the weight of the counter mass 43 may be set assuming that the fuel tank 12 is empty, or the counter mass 43 may be moved by the counter mass motor 46 as fuel is used. If the counter mass 43 is moved by the counter mass motor 46, the weight of the counter mass 43 may be further reduced. If the counter mass 43 is not moved, the pair of sliders 44, the pair of bases 45, and the counter mass motor 46 may be omitted. However, even if the counter mass 43 is not moved, if the engine 11, fuel tank 12, and generator 14 are pulled out from the main unit 40 using the pair of sliders 44, the pair of bases 45, and the counter mass motor 46, maintenance of the engine 11 and generator 14 becomes easier, and fuel supply to the fuel tank 12 becomes easier. The movement of the counter mass 43 may be achieved using an actuator with a different drive system, such as hydraulics, instead of the motor 46 for the counter mass.

[0028] The swing section 41 is pivotally supported so that the part connected to the main body device 40 and the part connected to the boom 53 can rotate around the Z axis. The swing cylinder 42 is a cylinder with one end connected to the main body device 40 and the other end connected to the swing section 41, and its extension and retraction operation is performed by power supplied from the generator 14. The extension and retraction of the swing cylinder 42 drives the work device 60 in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 1(a).

[0029] The boom cylinder 54 is a cylinder that extends and retracts using electricity supplied from the generator 14, thereby driving the boom 53. Furthermore, the arm cylinder 56 is a cylinder that extends and retracts using electricity supplied from the generator 14, and drives the arm 55. Furthermore, the bucket cylinder 59 is a cylinder that extends and retracts using electricity supplied from the generator 14, and drives the bucket 58. In this embodiment, the swing cylinder 42, boom cylinder 54, arm cylinder 56, and bucket cylinder 59 were driven by electricity from the generator 14, but these cylinders may also be driven using hydraulics.

[0030] The first GNSS47 system uses artificial satellites to determine the position of hydraulic excavator 1. The first communication device 48 is a wireless communication unit that includes an antenna 48a, a transmitter, a receiver, and various circuits, and accesses the second communication device 106 (described later) and a wide-area network such as the Internet. In this embodiment, the first communication device 48 communicates the flight path of the drone 100 to the second communication device 106 based on the position of the hydraulic excavator 1 detected by the first GNSS 47. Although two antennas 48a are shown in Figure 1, there may be one or three or more antennas.

[0031] The first memory 49 is a non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory) and stores various data and programs for driving the hydraulic excavator 1, as well as various data and programs for operating the hydraulic excavator 1 automatically. The first memory 49 also stores data related to the flight path of the drone 100.

[0032] The heavy equipment control device 50 is equipped with a CPU and is a control device that controls the entire hydraulic excavator 1. For example, it controls the excavation and rotation movements of the work device 60, the movement of the counter mass 43, and the flight movements of the drone 100.

[0033] The main unit 40 is connected to the working device 60 via a swing section 41 and a swing cylinder 42. The working device 60 includes a boom 53, a boom cylinder 54, an arm 55, an arm cylinder 56, a bucket 58, and a bucket cylinder 59.

[0034] The boom 53 is a V-shaped component connected to the main body 40 via the swing section 41, and is rotated by the boom cylinder 54. The arm 55 is connected to the tip of the boom 53 and is rotated by the arm cylinder 56. The bucket 58 is connected to the end of the arm 55 and rotates by the bucket cylinder 59. Alternatively, a breaker or similar device can be attached to the end of the arm 55 instead of the bucket 58.

[0035] The drone 100 of this embodiment includes a flight device 101, an imaging device 102, a power receiving device 103, a sensor group 104, a battery 105, a second communication device 106, a second memory 107, and a UAV control device 108. The flight device 101 has a motor (not shown) and multiple propellers, and generates thrust to lift the drone 100 into the air and move it through the air. As mentioned above, the number of drones 100 that land at the takeoff and landing section can be set arbitrarily. The configuration of each drone 100 may be the same, or some parts of it may be changed. Furthermore, the size of each drone 100 may be the same, or they may be different sizes.

[0036] The imaging device 102 is a digital camera equipped with a lens, image sensor, image processing engine, etc., and captures video and still images. In this embodiment, the imaging device 102 is used for surveying and imaging excavation sites.

[0037] In the enlarged view enclosed by the dashed line in Figure 2, the lens of the imaging device 102 is mounted on the side (front) of the drone 100. However, the lens of the imaging device 102 may be mounted on the bottom of the drone 100, or multiple lenses may be provided on the drone 100. Furthermore, a movement mechanism may be provided to move the lens mounted on the side toward the bottom. Additionally, a mechanism may be provided to rotate the imaging device 102 around the Z-axis to position the lens of the imaging device 102 at any position around the Z-axis. Note that an omnidirectional camera (360-degree camera) may be used as the imaging device 102, or a 3D scanner may be used instead of the imaging device 102.

[0038] The power receiving device 103 has a power receiving coil and charging circuit installed on the legs 109 of the drone 100, and charges the battery 105 with power from the power transmitting device 15. Battery 105 is a secondary battery connected to the power receiving device 103, and can be a lithium-ion secondary battery or a lithium polymer secondary battery, but is not limited to these. Battery 105 can supply power to the flight device 101, the imaging device 102, the second communication device 106, the second memory 107, and the UAV control device 108.

[0039] The sensor group 104 includes a GNSS, an infrared sensor for collision avoidance between the drone 100 and other devices (e.g., the work device 60), a barometric pressure sensor for measuring altitude, a magnetic sensor for detecting direction, a gyro sensor for detecting the attitude of the drone 100, and an acceleration sensor for detecting the acceleration acting on the drone 100.

[0040] The second communication device 106 has a wireless communication unit and accesses wide-area networks such as the Internet and communicates with the first communication device 48. In this embodiment, the second communication device 106 transmits image data captured by the imaging device 102 and detection results detected by the sensor group 104 to the first communication device 48, and transmits flight commands from the first communication device 48 to the UAV control device 108.

[0041] The second memory 107 is a non-volatile memory (for example, flash memory) and stores various data and programs for flying the drone 100, as well as image data captured by the imaging device 102 and detection results detected by the sensor group 104.

[0042] The UAV control unit 108 includes a CPU, attitude control circuit, flight control circuit, and other components, and controls the entire drone 100. The UAV control unit 108 also determines the timing of charging at the takeoff and landing section based on the remaining charge of the battery 105, and controls the imaging position, field of view, and frame rate of the imaging device 102.

[0043] As described above, the hydraulic excavator 1 of this embodiment allows the drone 100 to survey the excavation area prior to the excavation of the work device 60, and to take images from above and of the bucket 58 while the work device 60 is excavating, so that excavation can be performed even if there is no operator in the excavation area. In addition, if the drone 100 takes images at the take-off and landing section, it can take images from almost the same position as the operator's seat of a conventional hydraulic excavator.

[0044] Furthermore, by using multiple drones 100, while the first drone 100 is flying, the second drone 100 can be charged at the takeoff and landing area, allowing the first and second drones 100 to fly alternately. Note that the number of drones 100 can be three or more.

[0045] The control of excavation operations by the heavy equipment control device 50 of this embodiment, configured as described above, will now be explained. Figure 5 is a flowchart of the operations performed by the heavy equipment control device 50 of this embodiment. Note that the flowchart in Figure 5 is performed while the drive system 10 is in operation.

[0046] (flowchart) The heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether there is any abnormality in the hydraulic excavator 1 (step S1). Here, the heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether ammonia is leaking from the output of the leak sensor 13. If no ammonia is leaking, it proceeds to step S2; if ammonia is leaking, it proceeds to step S6 and stops the hydraulic excavator 1. If ammonia is leaking and the hydraulic excavator 1 is to be stopped, the heavy equipment control device 50 opens an unshown opening in the main body 40 to prevent ammonia from remaining in the main body 40 at a high concentration. The heavy equipment control device 50 may also drive the counter mass motor 46 to move the counter mass 43, thereby moving part of the engine 11 and the fuel tank 12 to the outside of the main body 40. This reduces the ammonia concentration inside the main body 40 and improves the maintainability of the engine 11 and the fuel tank 12. Alternatively, an unshown opening may be provided in the cover 19, and if ammonia is leaking, this unshown opening may be opened by an unshown motor. It is preferable that this unillustrated opening be made when a portion of the counter mass 43 extends outside the main unit 40.

[0047] Assuming there is no ammonia leak, the heavy equipment control device 50 proceeds to step S2. The heavy equipment control device 50 performs excavation using the work device 60 based on an automated operation program for the work device 60 stored in the first memory 49, based on the survey results performed, for example, using a drone 100 (step S2). The automated operation program for the work device 60 is executed based on parameters such as the position of the hydraulic excavator 1 determined by the first GNSS 47, the height of the excavated material at the excavation site, and the excavation range of the work device 60. This program also includes the control of the traveling device 20, the slewing device 30, and the swing cylinder 42. In step S2, the excavation may be performed remotely by an operator at a remote location instead of automated operation.

[0048] The heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether it is necessary to correct the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1 by driving the counter mass 43, based on the driving of the work device 60 in step S2 (step S3). In this embodiment, the weight of the counter mass 43 is set so that when the fuel tank 12 is full, it is unnecessary to move the counter mass 43 by driving the work device 60.

[0049] The heavy equipment control device 50 makes the decision in step S3 based on the output of a fuel gauge (not shown) installed in the fuel tank 12. The heavy equipment control device 50 proceeds to step S4 if, for example, the remaining amount in the fuel tank 12 is less than 50%. If the remaining amount in the fuel tank 12 is 50% or more, the heavy equipment control device 50 proceeds to step S5, which will be described later. The heavy equipment control device 50 may also make a decision on whether to move the counter mass 43 based on the output of the attitude sensor 18, either instead of, or in combination with, the output of the fuel gauge (not shown).

[0050] The heavy equipment control device 50 drives the counter mass motor 46 to move the engine 11, fuel tank 12, and generator 14 together with the counter mass 43 (step S4). It is preferable to equip the main unit 40 with an alarm to prevent accidents when the counter mass 43 moves outside the main unit 40. For example, it is desirable to provide a warning light on the main unit 40 to visually alert people, or to provide a speaker on the main unit 40 to audibly alert people, or to do both.

[0051] The heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether the work performed by the work device 60 has been completed (step S5). The heavy equipment control device 50 repeatedly executes steps S1 to S5 until the planned excavation work is completed, and then proceeds to step S6.

[0052] When the work performed by the work device 60 is completed, the heavy equipment control device 50 controls the hydraulic excavator 1 to stop (step S6). Specifically, the heavy equipment control device 50 moves the work device 60 to the initial position, and if the counter mass 43 has been moved to the outside of the main body device 40, it moves the counter mass 43 to the inside of the main body device 40. The initial position refers to the position where the work device 60 is in a position where uneven load is unlikely to occur (i.e., a position where there is little part extending in the X direction). The heavy equipment control device 50 moves the hydraulic excavator 1 using the travel device 20 as needed, then stops the drive of the hydraulic excavator 1, and this flowchart ends.

[0053] In this embodiment, the space freed up by eliminating the driver's seat is used to provide the counter mass 43 along the XY plane perpendicular to the Z direction, and the engine 11, fuel tank 12, and generator 14 are mounted (held) on the counter mass 43. This reduces the weight of the counter mass 43, enabling a hydraulic excavator 1 with a high degree of layout flexibility. In Figures 1 to 3, the fuel tank 12 is positioned on the other end (-X side) of the main body 40, but the engine 11 may also be positioned on the other end of the main body 40, and the generator 14 may also be positioned on the other end of the main body 40.

[0054] Furthermore, an ammonia concentration meter may be installed on the main unit 40, and if the ammonia concentration exceeds, for example, 20 ppm, the aforementioned alarm may provide visual or audible notification. Alternatively, a solar power generation device may be installed on the top or side of the main unit 40, and the electricity generated by this solar power generation device may be used to drive the hydraulic excavator 1. For example, a perovskite solar cell may be used for the solar power generation device. A perovskite solar cell is a solar cell that uses a perovskite crystal and is flexible, so it can be attached to structures with curved surfaces. Also, because perovskite solar cells are lightweight, they can help to minimize the increase in the weight of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0055] Furthermore, if ammonia or other fuel that does not emit greenhouse gases is used as the fuel for engine 11, it is possible to realize construction machinery with low greenhouse gas emissions. In situations where greenhouse gas emissions are permitted, diesel fuel or gasoline may be used instead of ammonia. When the generator 14 is mounted on the counter mass 43, the length of the wiring to the various cylinders and motors that receive power from the generator 14 should be increased to account for the movement stroke of the counter mass 43. Alternatively, power supply from the generator 14 to the various cylinders and motors may be provided by spatial transmission type power supply (wireless power supply).

[0056] (Second Embodiment) The second embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 6 to 9. Components identical to those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified. In Figure 6, the shield member 16, cover 19, antenna 48a, and drone 100 are omitted from the illustration to avoid complicating the drawing. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a hydraulic excavator 1, which represents an example of a construction machine representing the second embodiment of this invention. Figure 6(a) is a top view, and Figure 6(b) is a front view, with the portion enclosed by the dotted line shown as a partial cross-sectional view.

[0057] In this second embodiment of the hydraulic excavator 1, the slewing device 30 and the main body device 40 are divided into two, and the working device 60 is divided into two. The two slewing devices 30 will be described as the upper slewing device 30a and the lower slewing device 30b. Also, the slewing motor 31 of the first embodiment is divided into two, the upper slewing motor 31a and the lower slewing motor 31b. Similarly, the two main body devices 40 will be described as the upper main body device 40a and the lower main body device 40b. Furthermore, since the configuration of the two working devices 60 is the same as in the first embodiment, one will be called working device 60a and the other working device 60b, and each element constituting working devices 60a and 60b will have either a or b appended after its reference numeral.

[0058] The upper main body device 40a is rotatable by an upper slewing device 30a equipped with bearings. The upper main body device 40a also functions as a storage compartment, housing the engine 11, fuel tank 12, generator 14, counter mass 43, and part of the upper slewing motor 31a for rotating the upper main body device 40a. In the first embodiment, the counter mass 43 was rectangular, but in this embodiment, it is circular, with the engine 11 and generator 14 mounted on one end (the -X side in Figures 6(a) and 6(b)). The shape of the counter mass 43 can be arbitrarily set.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since there are two working devices 60, for example, the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1 due to the driving of working device 60b can be corrected by the load of working device 60a. In particular, if working device 60a is moved to -X, the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1 due to the driving of working device 60a can be corrected even more effectively. For this reason, since the uneven load is corrected by the load of the engine 11 and generator 14 located on one end of the counter mass 43, it is possible to reduce the weight of the counter mass 43 or even omit the counter mass 43. Alternatively, the uneven load may be corrected by placing only one of the engine 11 or the generator 14 on the counter mass 43. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fuel tank 12 is cylindrical in shape and contributes to stabilizing the weight balance of the upper main body device 40a rather than correcting the uneven load. For this reason, the fuel tank 12 is not mounted on the counter mass 43. Also, since the fuel tank 12 is used to stabilize the weight balance of the upper main body device 40a, a decrease in fuel in the fuel tank 12 will not affect the correction of the uneven load. Although not shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), it is preferable to provide the attitude sensor 18 on the upper main body device 40a.

[0060] Furthermore, an opening is formed in the lower center of the upper main body device 40a, and the upper slip ring 35, which constitutes part of the slip ring mechanism described later, engages with this opening. The upper slip ring 35 has an opening, and wiring that supplies power to the lower slewing motor 31b and the travel motor 24 is routed through this opening. A part of the upper slip ring 35 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the upper main body device 40a.

[0061] The slip ring mechanism includes, in addition to the upper slip ring 35, a lower slip ring 36 and a fixed portion 37 connected to the non-rotating portion of the upper slip ring 35 and the non-rotating portion of the lower slip ring 36. The lower slip ring 36 is provided on the lower main body device 40b and supports the fixed portion 37 from the outside. The fixed portion 37 is provided so as to penetrate the lower swivel device 30b and has an opening for routing wiring from the upper slip ring 35. Therefore, even if the upper main body device 40a or the lower main body device 40b rotates, the wiring is routed by the slip ring mechanism, preventing tangling or disconnection of the wiring. If necessary, piping for liquids (hydraulic or water) or gases may also be routed using this slip ring mechanism.

[0062] The lower main body unit 40b is rotatable by a lower slewing device 30b having bearings. The working device 60a is connected to the lower main body unit 40b on the -X side via a swing section 41a and a swing cylinder 42a, and the working device 60b is connected to the +X side via a swing section 41b and a swing cylinder 42b. It is preferable that the working devices 60a and 60b are arranged symmetrically with respect to the lower main body unit 40b. Furthermore, by connecting the working devices 60a and 60b to the lower main body unit 40b, it is possible to suppress the raising of the center of gravity of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0063] Furthermore, the lower main body device 40b houses a part of the lower slewing motor 31b and the lower slip ring 36, and has an opening near the center for the fixing part 37 to pass through. As is clear from Figure 6(b), a large space is formed inside the lower main body device 40b. For this reason, maintenance tools for the hydraulic excavator 1, various replacement parts, the drone 100, and replacement parts for the drone 100 may be housed inside the lower main body device 40b. Also, if the various cylinders are hydraulically driven, the hydraulic unit may be placed inside the lower main body device 40b. Furthermore, the upper main body device 40a and the lower main body device 40b are not limited to a cylindrical shape, but can be any shape.

[0064] In this embodiment, when moving the counter mass 43 to the outside of the upper main body device 40a, the fuel tank 12 can be placed on the counter mass 43 and the counter mass 43 can be driven by the counter mass motor 46. Also, when it is not necessary to move the counter mass 43 to the outside of the upper main body device 40a, the pair of sliders 44, the pair of bases 45, and the counter mass motor 46 can be omitted.

[0065] (Explanation of the flowchart) Figure 7 is a flowchart of the heavy equipment control device 50 of this embodiment, Figure 8 is a diagram showing the excavation operation, Figure 8(a) shows the working device 60 in its initial position, Figure 8(b) shows the state during excavation, Figure 8(c) shows the state at the end of excavation, and Figure 8(d) shows the state after rotation. Furthermore, Figure 9 is a diagram showing the operation following the excavation operation in Figure 8, Figure 9(a) shows the loading process, Figure 9(b) shows the working device 60 in its initial position, Figure 9(c) shows the state after the upper main body device 40a has been rotated, and Figure 9(d) shows the state during excavation.

[0066] The flowchart in Figure 7 will be explained below with reference to Figures 8 and 9. In Figures 8 and 9, the portion enclosed by the dotted line is shown as a partial cross-sectional view, similar to Figure 6. Also, in Figures 8 and 9, some reference numerals have been omitted to avoid complicating the drawings. In this embodiment, the initial position refers to the position where the two work devices 60 are less likely to experience uneven loads (i.e., a position where the portion extending in the X direction is small). In the flowchart in Figure 7, some of the steps may be performed, for example, by a worker in a remote location away from the civil engineering site.

[0067] The heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether the hydraulic excavator 1 has completed its preparation for excavation (step S11). As shown in Figure 8(a), the heavy equipment control device 50 determines that the preparation for excavation is complete and proceeds to step S12 if the hydraulic excavator 1 has arrived at the excavation site and is ready to excavate, and the dump truck 70 has arrived at the loading site; otherwise, it repeats step S11. Here, we assume that the preparation for excavation is complete and proceed to step S12.

[0068] As shown in Figure 8(b), the heavy equipment control device 50 performs excavation using the bucket 58a, which is part of the work device 60a (step S12). When excavating with the bucket 58a, the heavy equipment control device 50 flies the drone 100 near the bucket 58a and uses the imaging device 102 to capture images of the excavation operation by the bucket 58a, thereby allowing the excavation status to be confirmed. In this embodiment, the work device 60a and the work device 60b have the same configuration and therefore the same weight. However, as shown in Figure 8(b), when the work device 60a extends in the -X direction and excavated material is contained in the bucket 58a, an uneven load in the -X direction acts on the hydraulic excavator 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, this uneven load is corrected by positioning the engine 11 and generator 14, which are housed in the upper main body device 40a and supported by the counter mass 43, in the +X direction.

[0069] The heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether or not excavation by the bucket 58a is complete (step S13). The heavy equipment control device 50 determines that excavation by the bucket 58a is complete when it determines from the imaging device 102 of the drone 100 that a predetermined amount of excavated material has been contained in the bucket 58a. Alternatively, an operator at a remote location may determine whether or not excavation by the bucket 58a is complete based on the imaging results of the imaging device 102 of the drone 100. Alternatively, a weighing scale may be installed on the bucket 58a so that the heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether or not a predetermined amount of excavated material has been contained in the bucket 58a based on the measurement results of the weighing scale. Here, we will assume that excavation by the bucket 58a is complete and proceed to step S14. When the heavy equipment control device 50 determines that excavation by the bucket 58a is complete, it moves the work device 60a to the initial position as shown in Figure 8(c). This is to reduce the uneven load acting on the lower main body device 40b etc. due to the rotation of the work device 60a in step S14 and to perform the rotation safely.

[0070] The heavy equipment control device 50 rotates the upper main body device 40a by 180 degrees using the upper slewing motor 31a, and rotates the lower main body device 40b by 180 degrees using the lower slewing motor 31b (step S14). The lower main body device 40b is rotated to load the excavated material stored in the bucket 58a onto the dump truck 70 and to move the bucket 58b, which is part of the work device 60b, to the excavation position. The upper main body device 40a is rotated to correct the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1 due to the rotation of the lower main body device 40b. This prevents the hydraulic excavator 1 from lifting or tipping over when the lower main body device 40b is rotated. In order to reduce the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1, it is preferable that the rotation directions of the upper main body device 40a and the lower main body device 40b are the same. Specifically, if the upper main body 40a rotates clockwise, the heavy equipment control device 50 should also rotate the lower main body 40b clockwise. Figure 8(d) shows the rotation in step S14, with the bucket 58a positioned on the +X side and the bucket 58b and fuel tank 12 positioned on the -X side.

[0071] As shown in Figure 9(a), the heavy equipment control device 50 drives and controls the work device 60a to load the excavated material contained in the bucket 58a onto the dump truck 70 (step S15). At this time, the heavy equipment control device 50 can confirm the loading operation by flying a drone 100 near the bucket 58a and having the imaging device 102 capture images of the loading operation by the bucket 58a. In step S15, the heavy equipment control device 50 may also fine-tune the position of the work device 60a using the swing section 41a and the swing cylinder 42a.

[0072] The heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether the loading operation by the bucket 58a has been completed based on the imaging results from the imaging device 102 or the measurement results from the weighing scale (step S16). This determination in step S16 may be made by a worker located remotely. When the loading operation is completed, the heavy equipment control device 50 moves the work device 60a to the initial position as shown in Figure 9(b).

[0073] The heavy equipment control device 50 rotates the upper main body device 40a by 180 degrees in preparation for excavation work by the work device 60b (step S17). By rotating the upper main body device 40a by 180 degrees, the engine 11 and the generator 14 are positioned on the +X side, as shown in Figure 9(c), so that the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1 due to the excavation operation of the work device 60b can be corrected. Furthermore, by moving the work device 60a to its initial position and rotating the upper main body device 40a almost simultaneously, the excavation work by the work device 60b can be started earlier. In addition, while moving the work device 60a to its initial position and rotating the upper main body device 40a are being performed, the work device 60b may be moved from the initial position to the excavation position. This allows the excavation work by the work device 60b to be started even earlier. Thus, when the work device 60b is moved from the initial position to the excavation position, the bucket 58b does not contain any excavated material, so no large uneven load is applied to the hydraulic excavator 1. Furthermore, the correction of the uneven load on the hydraulic excavator 1 by rotating the upper body device 40a is also possible when an unexpected load is applied to the hydraulic excavator 1. In such cases, the heavy equipment control device 50 should rotate the upper body device 40a based on the output of the attitude sensor 18.

[0074] The heavy equipment control device 50 determines whether a predetermined amount of excavation has been completed (step S18). Here, the heavy equipment control device 50 returns to step S12, assuming that the predetermined amount of excavation has not yet been completed. The heavy equipment control device 50 then performs a series of excavation operations using the work device 60b, and then alternately repeats excavation using the work device 60a and excavation using the work device 60b until a predetermined amount of excavation is reached. The program for executing the flowchart in Figure 7 is stored in the first memory 49. Alternatively, step S1 of the flowchart in Figure 5 may be added to the flowchart in Figure 7 to detect abnormalities such as ammonia leaks.

[0075] As described above, according to this second embodiment, since excavation by the work device 60a and excavation by the work device 60b are repeated alternately, the construction period for excavation work can be shortened. Although Figures 8 and 9 show one drone 100, the flowchart in Figure 7 may be executed using multiple drones 100. Furthermore, imaging by the imaging device 102 of the drone 100 may be performed not only during flight, but also when the drone is landed on the take-off and landing section of the upper main unit 40a. The images captured by the imaging device 102 from the take-off and landing section of the upper main unit 40a can be used as images that can be viewed by an operator from the driver's seat, as in conventional designs.

[0076] Furthermore, when the drone 100 is flown in the vicinity of the bucket 58, the UAV control device 108 can avoid a collision between the bucket 58 and the drone 100 by recognizing the bucket 58 using the infrared sensor of the sensor group 104. Furthermore, the heavy equipment control device 50 may also perform imaging using the imaging device 102 of the drone 100 in order to determine if a malfunction occurs in the hydraulic excavator 1 or if maintenance is required. In this embodiment as well, a hydraulic excavator 1 with low greenhouse gas emissions can be realized.

[0077] (Third embodiment) Figures 10(a) and 10(b) are schematic diagrams of a hydraulic excavator 1, an example of a construction machine representing the third embodiment, with the portion enclosed by the dotted line shown as a partial cross-sectional view. In Figures 10(a) and 10(b), the shield member 16, cover 19, antenna 48a, and drone 100 are omitted from the illustration to avoid complicating the drawings. The third embodiment will be described below using Figures 10(a) and 10(b), but the same reference numerals will be used for components that are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified.

[0078] In this third embodiment, the engine 11 and generator 14 are positioned around the upper main body device 40a, rather than around the fuel tank 12, which is different from the second embodiment. Also, in this third embodiment, the engine 11, fuel tank 12, and generator 14 are mounted on the counter mass 43. Therefore, the fuel tank 12 is used as a mass to compensate for the uneven load acting on the hydraulic excavator 1, which is different from the second embodiment. Consequently, the weight of the counter mass 43 in the third embodiment can be made lighter than the weight of the counter mass 43 in the second embodiment.

[0079] Furthermore, similar to the first embodiment, the counter mass 43 may be moved to the outside of the upper main body device 40a by the counter mass motor 46. This makes it possible to perform maintenance on the engine 11, generator 14, etc., from the outside of the upper main body device 40a.

[0080] In the second and third embodiments, the upper main body device 40a serves as the storage section, and the two work devices 60 are connected to the lower main body device 40b via the swing section 41 and the swing cylinder 42. Alternatively, the lower main body device 40b may serve as the storage section, and the two work devices 60 may be connected to the upper main body device 40a via the swing section 41 and the swing cylinder 42.

[0081] According to the first to third embodiments, the drone 100 assists the hydraulic excavator 1, enabling efficient automated civil engineering work. In the first to third embodiments, the hydraulic excavator 1 was driven by supplying ammonia to the engine 11, but instead, the hydraulic excavator 1 may be driven using hydrogen and a fuel cell. In this case, high-pressure hydrogen gas can be stored in the fuel tank 12 and supplied to the fuel cell. Alternatively, the fuel tank storing hydrogen gas and the fuel cell can be placed on the counter mass 43. Furthermore, the hydraulic excavator 1 may be driven using methane.

[0082] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative examples for illustrating the present invention, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, by using an infrared camera as the imaging device 102, a series of construction works such as excavation and loading (soil removal) can be carried out even at night, thereby shortening the construction period. A breaker, fork, ripper, or lifter may be attached to the first arm 63 instead of the first bucket. Furthermore, the first to third embodiments may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0083] 1 Hydraulic excavator 10 Drive system 11 Engine 12 Fuel tank 15 Power transmission equipment 30 Swivel equipment 30a Upper slewing device 30b Lower slewing device 40 Main unit 40a Upper main unit 40b Lower main unit 43 Counter mass 50 Heavy equipment control device 60 Working device 100 Drone 102 Imaging device 103 Power receiving device

Claims

1. A main body that can rotate by the rotation of the swivel mechanism, A working device connected to one end of the main body device, A liquid tank is provided inside the other end of the main body device for storing liquid fuel that does not emit greenhouse gases, A takeoff and landing section is provided on the upper surface of the main body device, which is capable of taking off and landing an unmanned aerial vehicle. A construction machine comprising a moving device for moving the liquid tank to the outside from the other end of the main body when the liquid fuel leaks.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein a part of the power supply unit that supplies power to the unmanned aircraft is provided in the take-off and landing section.

3. The construction machine according to claim 2, further comprising a blocking unit for blocking noise from the power supply unit.

4. The construction machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an antenna is provided on the upper surface of the main body device.

5. The slewing device comprises a first slewing section and a second slewing section provided below the first slewing section, The main body device comprises a main body that can be rotated by the rotation of either the first rotating part or the second rotating part, and a housing part that can be rotated by the other of the first rotating part or the second rotating part. A first working device is connected to one end of the main body. A second working device is connected to the other end of the main body. The construction machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid tank is provided in the storage section.

6. The construction machine according to claim 5, wherein the liquid fuel stored in the liquid tank is ammonia.

7. The construction machine according to claim 5 or claim 6, further comprising a control device for controlling the first slewing section, the second slewing section, the first working device, and the second working device.

8. The construction machine according to claim 7, wherein the control device performs control to rotate the first slewing section and the second slewing section, and control to rotate the second slewing section without rotating the first slewing section.

9. The construction machine according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the control device rotates the second slewing section when at least one of the first working device and the second working device performs an operation different from the slewing.

10. The construction machine according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the housing is provided above the main body.

Images