Operation device

Abstract

A remote control device (100) for a work machine is provided with: a seat device (40) on which an operator can sit; an inclination drive unit (50) capable of inclining the seat device in accordance with an inclination angle of the work machine within a preset inclination angle range; and a notification unit that outputs first notification information to the operator when the inclination angle of the work machine is greater than a first threshold angle set corresponding to the maximum angle of the inclination angle range.

Description

operating device

[0001] The present invention relates to an operating device.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a work machine that performs a predetermined task at a work site and is remotely operated by an operator located away from the work site. Patent Document 1 discloses a remote control system that has a seat for the operator and a tilt drive unit that tilts the seat. In this technology, the seat is tilted by the tilt drive unit so that the seat tilts in synchronization with the tilt direction and amount of tilt of the work machine body.

[0003] The tilt drive unit has three actuators that expand and contract vertically, and the upper end of each actuator is connected to a base that supports the seat via a connecting part. The seat tilts as each actuator expands and contracts. This seat tilt allows the operator to recognize the amount of tilt of the aircraft.

[0004] International Publication No. 2015 / 155845

[0005] In the remote control system described above, since there is a limit to the tilt angle of the seat, if the tilt angle of the machine at the work site exceeds the tiltable range of the seat, it is difficult for the operator to recognize the amount of tilt of the machine based on the tilt of the seat. In particular, since the operator cannot recognize whether the amount of tilt of the machine coincides with the upper limit of the tiltable range or exceeds the upper limit, there is a risk that the machine will inadvertently tilt too much.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an operating device that allows an operator operating a work machine to recognize the inclination of the work machine.

[0007] The present invention provides an operating device capable of operating a work machine, the operating device comprising: a seat device on which an operator can be seated; a tilt drive unit capable of tilting the seat device in accordance with the tilt angle of the work machine within a preset tilt angle range; and a notification unit that outputs first notification information to the operator when the tilt angle of the work machine is greater than a first threshold angle set corresponding to the maximum angle within the tilt angle range.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a remote control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a work machine at a work site. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the seat device in the most forward tilted position. FIG. 4 is a side view of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the seat device in a horizontal position. FIG. 5 is a side view of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the seat device in the most rearward tilted position. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the remote control device and work machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operating procedure of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8A is a side view showing the attitude of the work machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention at the work site. FIG. 8B is a side view showing the attitude of the work machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention at the work site. FIG. 8C is a side view showing the attitude of the work machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention at the work site. FIG. 9A is a warning image displayed on the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9B is a warning image displayed on the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an example of an indicator displayed on the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a threshold value for the tilt angle of the seat device in the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12A is a schematic diagram showing the vehicle body inclination of the work machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention and a threshold value for the determination process executed by the remote control device. FIG. 12B is a schematic diagram showing the vehicle body inclination of the work machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention and a threshold value for the determination process executed by the remote control device. FIG. 12C is a schematic diagram showing the vehicle body inclination of the work machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention and a threshold value for the determination process executed by the remote control device. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing basic processing of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing alert cancellation processing of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing part of the alert cancellation processing of the remote control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing processing of a remote control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing the processing of a remote control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing the processing of a remote control device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 19 is a flowchart showing part of the processing of a remote control device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 20 is a flowchart showing the processing of a remote control device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 21 is a flowchart showing the processing of a remote control device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] <First embodiment> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a remote control device 100 as an operating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a work machine at a work site. In Fig. 1, two hydraulic excavators 1 (1A, 1B) are shown as the work machines. The remote control device 100 is located at a location (remote location) away from the hydraulic excavator 1, and is operated by an operator to function as a remote control device that can remotely operate the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site.

[0011] The hydraulic excavator 1 comprises a lower running body 1P (lower main body) capable of running on the ground, an upper rotating body 1Q (machine body) mounted on the lower running body 1P so as to be able to rotate around a rotation center axis extending in the vertical direction, and a work attachment 1R mounted on the upper rotating body 1Q.

[0012] The lower traveling body 1P includes a pair of right and left crawlers disposed on the right and left, respectively. The right and left crawlers operate so that the lower traveling body 1P travels on the ground.

[0013] The upper rotating body 1Q constitutes the machine body of the hydraulic excavator 1 and includes a rotating frame and a plurality of elements mounted thereon. The plurality of elements include a machine room, a cab serving as an operator's room, and a counterweight (not shown) that constitutes the rear end of the upper rotating body 1Q.

[0014] The work attachment 1R includes a boom, an arm, and a bucket. The boom is supported at the front end of the rotating frame so that it can be raised and lowered. The arm is connected to the tip of the boom so that it can rotate up and down relative to the boom. The bucket is a tip attachment used for excavation work, etc., and is attached to the tip of the arm so that it can rotate up and down relative to the arm. The cab is located at the front end of the upper rotating body, for example, on the left side of the work device.

[0015] The hydraulic excavator 1 further includes a boom cylinder, an arm cylinder, a bucket cylinder, and a swing motor. The boom cylinder extends and retracts to rotate the boom in the hoisting direction. The arm cylinder extends and retracts to rotate the arm in the up and down direction. The bucket cylinder extends and retracts to rotate the bucket in the up and down direction relative to the arm. These cylinders are hydraulic cylinders. The swing motor rotates the upper swing structure 1Q clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the lower traveling structure 1P. The swing motor is a hydraulic motor. These hydraulic actuators are supplied with hydraulic oil from a hydraulic pump (not shown) to operate and drive the boom, arm, bucket, and upper swing structure 1Q.

[0016] <Remote Control Device> Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a side view of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment, showing the seat device 40 in its most forward tilted position. Fig. 4 is a side view of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment, showing the seat device 40 in its horizontal position. Fig. 5 is a side view of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment, showing the seat device 40 in its most forward tilted position. The remote control device 100 is a device that remotely controls a machine such as a hydraulic excavator 1 that is located at a distance from the remote control device 100.

[0017] The cab on the upper rotating body 1Q described above is provided with a control mechanism that enables remote operation of operation levers and the like, and an imaging device that captures images of the surrounding environment through the front window of the cab. Images captured by the imaging device are wirelessly transmitted to the remote control device 100, where they can be visually recognized by the operator. The operator operates the remote control device 100 while viewing the transmitted images, which transmits control signals to remotely control the hydraulic excavator 1. The hydraulic excavator 1 is equipped with an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) 81, which will be described in detail below. The IMU 81 is equipped with an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration in three axial directions and an angular velocity sensor such as a gyro sensor that detects angular velocity in three axial directions, and the acceleration signals detected by the acceleration sensors and the angular velocity signals detected by the angular velocity sensors are wirelessly transmitted to the remote control device 100 via a control unit (machine-side control unit 80) of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0018] Referring to Figure 2, the remote control device 100 includes a housing 10, a monitor device 20 that displays an image of the surrounding environment of the work machine being remotely controlled, a control device 30 that generates operation signals, a seat device 40 that is arranged on top of the housing 10, and a drive device 50 (tilt drive unit) that drives the seat device 40.

[0019] The housing 10 is a component to which the seat device 40 is fixed at the top and which houses electronic devices. To facilitate transport of the remote control device 100, the housing 10 is composed of multiple parts, including a first housing unit 11 and a second housing unit 15. The first housing unit 11 and the second housing unit 15 are each formed as a rectangular parallelepiped, with the same horizontal length but different front-to-back and vertical lengths. The second housing unit 15 is disposed in front of the first housing unit 11, and the first housing unit 11 and the second housing unit 15 are connected at the four corners of their respective contacting sides with fasteners such as bolts and nuts (not shown). A plurality of casters 13, including movement prevention devices, are disposed on the undersides of the first housing unit 11 and the second housing unit 15. During transport, the first housing unit 11 and the second housing unit 15 can be easily separated from each other by removing the fasteners securing them together.

[0020] The first housing 11 has a first upper plate 12 on its upper surface. The second housing 15 has a second upper plate 16 on its upper surface. The height of the second upper plate 16 is lower than the height of the first upper plate 12. When an operator boards the remote control device 100, the higher the seat device 40, the more difficult it is for the operator to board and disembark. However, by making the second housing 15 lower than the first housing 11, the second housing 15 can be used as a step platform for boarding and disembarking. This, combined with the seat device 40, which moves up and down when boarding and disembarking, makes the remote control device 100 easy to board and disembark.

[0021] The first housing 11 houses electronic devices, including a first arithmetic processing unit, a second arithmetic processing unit, and a seat controller (not shown). The first arithmetic processing unit controls the output of the monitor device 20 and recognizes various inputs, including those from the operation lever 31 and the travel lever 32. The second arithmetic processing unit manages communication between the remote control device 100 and the hydraulic excavator 1 to be remotely operated, passes video and tilt signals wirelessly transmitted from the hydraulic excavator 1 to the first arithmetic processing unit, and transmits input information, such as operation inputs recognized by the first arithmetic processing unit, to the hydraulic excavator 1. The seat controller controls the drive device 50 based on acceleration signals and angular velocity signals received by the remote control device 100.

[0022] The second housing 15 houses a communication device (not shown), which is an electronic device. The communication device communicates with the hydraulic excavator 1, which is the target of remote operation, and is controlled by the second arithmetic processing unit. The communication device is made up of a transmitter / receiver unit and a switching hub that connects the transmitter / receiver unit to other control devices such as the first arithmetic processing unit and the second arithmetic processing unit. The communication device and other control devices are connected by, for example, a LAN cable. The configurations corresponding to each of the above units will be described in detail below.

[0023] The monitor device 20 is disposed opposite the seat device 40 and is capable of displaying an image of the surroundings of the hydraulic excavator 1. The monitor device 20 has a central monitor 21, a left monitor 22, a right monitor 23, an imaging device 24 provided above the central monitor 21, and a monitor support section 25 that supports the central monitor 21, etc. The monitor device 20 displays images (camera images) in front of and to the left and right of the hydraulic excavator 1 transmitted from the hydraulic excavator 1. The operator remotely controls the hydraulic excavator 1 while viewing the images on the monitor device 20. For this reason, an imaging device (camera) (not shown) is attached to the hydraulic excavator 1, as described above.

[0024] The seat device 40 is disposed on the first housing portion 11. The seat device 40 has a seat portion 41, a backrest portion 42, a pair of left and right armrests 43, a foot support portion 44, a first support plate 47, and a second support plate 48.

[0025] The operator performs remote operation while sitting on the seat 41 and with his back supported by the backrest 42. A pair of left and right armrests 43 are fixed to the left and right sides of the seat 41. The foot holders 44 are members on which the operator places his feet when remotely operating the work machine, and are fixed to a second support plate 48 that is rotatably supported by a first support plate 47.

[0026] The control device 30 (operation mechanism) receives operation input by the operator and generates a drive command signal for moving the hydraulic excavator 1 in accordance with the amount of operation. The control device 30 includes an operation lever 31 for operating the arms and the like of the hydraulic excavator 1, and a travel lever 32 for operating the traveling device. The operation levers 31 are disposed on the left and right armrests 43, respectively. The travel levers 32 are disposed on the foot holders 44. The drive command signal is input to the machine drive unit 82 via a drive control unit 801 of the machine-side control unit 80 of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0027] The drive unit 50 tilts the seat device 40 within a preset angle range in response to an input command signal. Specifically, the drive unit 50 has a pair of left and right first and second vertical drive units 51 and 57 that move the seat device 40 up and down and vibrate it, and a rotational drive unit 71 that rotates the seat device 40. Note that only the left first vertical drive unit 51 is shown in FIG. 2 .

[0028] The seat device 40 is supported by a pair of left and right first and second vertical drive units 51 and 57. The pair of first vertical drive units 51 arranged on the front side of the upper part of the first housing unit 11 and the one second vertical drive unit 57 arranged on the rear side of the upper part of the first housing unit 11 are respectively arranged at the vertices of an imaginary triangle when viewed from above. With regard to each position, if we imagine an imaginary triangle on the first upper plate 12 of the first housing unit 11 with one side parallel to the left-right direction of the remote control device 100 positioned at the front, the first vertical drive unit 51 is arranged at the two front vertices of the imaginary triangle, and the second vertical drive unit 57 is arranged at the rear vertex.

[0029] A first support plate 47 is fixed onto the first vertical drive unit 51 and the second vertical drive unit 57, and is connected to the first vertical drive unit 51 and the second vertical drive unit 57. As shown in Fig. 1, the first support plate 47 is a plate member that is formed into a substantially triangular shape with one side parallel to the left-right direction and located at the front, and the apex on the rear side is cut by a straight line parallel to the front side.

[0030] A second support plate 48 is rotatably placed on the first support plate 47 via a rotational support device 49 ( FIG. 3 ). The second support plate 48 is a rectangular plate member whose front-to-rear length is slightly longer than its left-to-right length, and the seat portion 41 is fixed to its upper surface. The rotational support device 49 is disposed near the center of the upper surface of the first support plate 47. The rotational support device 49 supports the second support plate 48 near the center of its lower surface so that the second support plate 48 is rotatable relative to the first support plate 47. The foot support portion 44 is connected to a first foot support member 45 fixed to the second support plate 48 and has a second foot support member 46 on which the feet are placed. The second support plate 48, seat portion 41, backrest 42, and foot support portion 44 are supported so as to be rotatable together with the first support plate 47 around the rotational support device 49.

[0031] A pair of left and right first and second vertical drive units 51, 57 support the seat device 40 from below and drive the seat device 40 in the vertical direction. In addition, a rotational drive unit 71 disposed on the upper surface of the first support plate 47 drives the seat device 40 in the rotational direction (turning direction).

[0032] The pair of left and right first and second vertical drive units 51 and 57 have the same structure, and each has an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder that can expand and contract relative to the outer cylinder. These drive units expand and contract up and down independently of each other, allowing the posture and inclination of the seat device 40 to be adjusted.

[0033] The first vertical drive unit 51 and the second vertical drive unit 57 move the inner cylinder inserted into the outer cylinder up and down in response to an angular velocity signal from the cabin of the remotely operated work machine, thereby moving the lower surface of the first support plate 47 up and down and thus moving the seat device 40 up and down. The drive sources of the first vertical drive unit 51 and the second vertical drive unit 57 are, for example, air pressure generated by an air pump or an electric motor (not shown).

[0034] For example, the upper ends of the inner cylinders of the first vertical drive unit 51 and the second vertical drive unit 57 can be controlled to be at the same height. In this case, the first support plate 47 is held horizontally as shown in FIG.

[0035] The upper ends of the inner cylinders 55 of the first and second vertical drive units 51 and 57 can be controlled to different heights. For example, when the upper end of the inner cylinder of the first vertical drive unit 51 is lower than the upper end of the inner cylinder of the second vertical drive unit 57, the first support plate 47 is tilted forward, as shown in FIG. 3, and the seat device 40 is held in a forward-tilted position. Conversely, when the upper end of the inner cylinder of the first vertical drive unit 51 is higher than the upper end of the inner cylinder of the second vertical drive unit 57, the first support plate 47 is tilted backward, as shown in FIG. 5, and the seat device 40 is held in a backward-tilted position. Note that by adjusting the extension and contraction amounts of the drive units, the tilt angle of the seat device 40 can be adjusted, and the left and right tilt angles can also be adjusted.

[0036] Furthermore, the first vertical drive unit 51 and the second vertical drive unit 57 vibrate the seat device 40 based on the cabin acceleration signal transmitted from the hydraulic excavator 1. When vibrating the seat device 40, the inner cylinders of the first vertical drive unit 51 and the second vertical drive unit 57 are each moved up and down independently in short, short increments. As a result, the seat device 40 can be vibrated.

[0037] 6 is a block diagram of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment and the hydraulic excavator 1. The hydraulic excavator 1 includes a machine-side control unit 80, an IMU 81, a machine drive unit 82, and a communication unit 83.

[0038] The machine-side control unit 80 controls the movement of the hydraulic excavator 1. The machine-side control unit 80 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a control program, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that is used as a work area for the CPU, and the like. The machine-side control unit 80 functions to include functional units, such as a drive control unit 801 and an attitude calculation unit 802, as a result of the CPU executing the control program stored in the ROM. These functional units do not have physical entities, but correspond to units of functions executed by the control program.

[0039] The drive control unit 801 inputs a drive command signal to the machine drive unit 82. When the hydraulic excavator 1 is remotely operated, the command signal is generated by the remote operation side control unit 90 of the remote operation device 100. The attitude calculation unit 802 will be described in a modified embodiment below.

[0040] The IMU 81 is mounted on the upper rotating body 1Q of the hydraulic excavator 1 and detects information related to the attitude of the hydraulic excavator 1. The IMU 81 is mounted, for example, on the cab of the hydraulic excavator 1. The angular velocity sensor in the IMU 81 functions as an inclination sensor and detects information on three axes: pitch angle, roll angle, and yaw angle. The detected pitch angle and roll angle are referenced to the tilting operation of the seat device 40 by the first vertical direction drive unit 51 and the second vertical direction drive unit 57, and the detected yaw angle is referenced to the swinging operation of the seat device 40 by the rotation direction drive unit 71. In this embodiment, the IMU 81 detects the pitch angle and roll angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 relative to a reference plane (e.g., a horizontal plane).

[0041] The mechanical drive unit 82 drives various structural components of the hydraulic excavator 1, including the undercarriage 1P, upper revolving unit 1Q, and work attachment 1R, which are operated by an operating unit (not shown) located in the cab of the hydraulic excavator 1 or the steering device 30. The mechanical drive unit 82 includes the boom cylinder, arm cylinder, bucket cylinder, and swing motor described above. In particular, the mechanical drive unit 82 receives predetermined command signals (drive command signals) and drives the undercarriage 1P, upper revolving unit 1Q, and work attachment 1R in accordance with the command signals. As a result, the attitude of the hydraulic excavator 1 can be changed. The mechanical drive unit 82 also includes hydraulic circuits such as a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor.

[0042] The communication unit 83 is attached to the hydraulic excavator 1 and is capable of two-way communication with the communication unit 93 of the remote control device 100 via wireless communication, wired communication, or the like.

[0043] On the other hand, the remote control device 100 includes a remote control side control unit 90, a tablet 91, a speaker 92, and a communication unit 93 in addition to the above-mentioned components.

[0044] The remote-operation control unit 90 has the function of remotely operating the hydraulic excavator 1. Similar to the machine-side control unit 80, the remote-operation control unit 90 is composed of a CPU, a ROM for storing a control program, a RAM used as a work area for the CPU, and the like. When the CPU executes the control program stored in the ROM, the remote-operation control unit 90 functions to have the following functional units: an attitude calculation unit 901 (tilt command unit), an alarm instruction unit 902 (alarm unit), and a memory unit 903. These functional units do not have physical entities, but correspond to units of functions executed by the control program.

[0045] The attitude calculation unit 901 calculates the attitude of the hydraulic excavator 1 based on information about the attitude of the hydraulic excavator 1 detected by the IMU 81. The attitude calculation unit 901 inputs a command signal corresponding to the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site to the drive device 50, thereby setting the tilt angle of the first support plate 47 of the seat device 40 with respect to the horizontal plane. Specifically, the tilt angle in the front-to-rear direction of the seat device 40 is set based on the pitch angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 in the command signal, and a command signal that sets the tilt angle in the left-to-right direction of the seat device 40 based on the roll angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 in the command signal is input to the drive device 50, thereby tilting the seat device 40 within a predetermined tilt angle range. The tilt angle range is an angle range in which the seat device 40 can be tilted (forward tilt, backward tilt, left tilt, and right tilt), and is defined by the tilt angle (maximum tilt angle) of the seat device 40 tilted to the maximum tilt angle (forward tilt, backward tilt, left tilt, and right tilt) relative to a tilt angle of 0 degrees of the seat device 40 in a horizontal position. When the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 exceeds a first threshold angle, the attitude calculation unit 901 inputs a command signal corresponding to the first threshold angle to the drive device 50. The first threshold angle is the angle at which the seat device 40 is tilted to the maximum angle within the tilt angle range when the seat device 40 is tilted in accordance with the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0046] The warning instruction unit 902 issues a predetermined warning in accordance with the attitude of the hydraulic excavator 1 calculated by the attitude calculation unit 901. In particular, the warning instruction unit 902 outputs first notification information to the operator when the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 is greater than a first threshold angle set corresponding to the maximum angle in the tilt angle range. Furthermore, the warning instruction unit 902 outputs second notification information different from the first notification information when the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 is greater than a second threshold angle set in advance to prevent the hydraulic excavator 1 from tipping over. In this embodiment, the output information is input to the monitor device 20, and a notification display image is displayed.

[0047] The storage unit 903 stores in advance various parameters, thresholds, etc. that are referenced by the attitude calculation unit 901 and the warning instruction unit 902 .

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3, the tablet 91 is disposed adjacent to the seat device 40 of the remote control device 100, and is equipped with a touch panel that can be operated by the operator seated on the seat device 40 with the fingers.

[0049] The speaker 92 is attached to the remote control device 100 and generates a predetermined alert sound in response to a signal output from the alarm instruction unit 902 .

[0050] As described above, the communication unit 93 is capable of two-way communication with the communication unit 83 of the hydraulic excavator 1 .

[0051] <Remote Operation Flow> Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the operating procedure of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment. The following describes the control flow for adjusting the tilt angle of the seat device 40 of the remote control device 100 in accordance with the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1. Before this control is activated (step S01), the seat device 40 is in the most forward tilted position, with the first support plate 47 tilted forward and the second foot retaining member 46 closest to the second upper plate 16, as shown in Figure 3. As a result, an operator who uses the second housing unit 15 as a step for getting on and off the excavator can easily sit on the seat device 40.

[0052] Next, when the operator presses the power switch adjacent to the seat device 40, the above control is activated, and a predetermined screen is displayed on the tablet 91 (step S02). The operator can view the predetermined screen displayed on the tablet 91 by sitting in the seat device 40 in the fully forward-leaning position. Furthermore, when the operator sitting in the seat device 40 presses the face authentication button displayed on the predetermined screen of the tablet 91, the seat device 40 changes its position to a standby position (step S03). This standby position corresponds to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 4. The imaging device 24 then captures a facial image of the seated operator, and facial authentication is performed to determine whether the captured facial image is that of a pre-registered authorized user. If the facial authentication does not determine that the operator is an authorized user, the facial authentication is repeated. On the other hand, if the operator is determined to be an authorized user, remote operation is permitted (step S04) (this concludes operation preparation). Authentication of the authorized user may be performed by other means, such as entering a password into the tablet 91.

[0053] When the start of remote operation is permitted, the operator starts remote operation (step S04). At this time, when the operator designates one hydraulic excavator 1 from among multiple candidate hydraulic excavators 1 to be operated, communication for remote operation is established with the designated hydraulic excavator 1 (capable of receiving camera information from the hydraulic excavator 1 and transmitting operation information to the hydraulic excavator 1), and the designated hydraulic excavator 1 is placed in a state where it can be remotely operated by the remote operation device 100. During remote operation of the designated hydraulic excavator 1 by the remote operation device 100, the seat device 40 is tilted forward / backward and left / right in accordance with the detection value of the tilt sensor of the IMU 81. As will be described in detail later, when the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 exceeds the maximum tilt angle, the alarm instruction unit 902 outputs a first alert (first notification information), and when the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 further increases, the alarm instruction unit 902 outputs a second alert (second notification information).

[0054] It should be noted that if the operator operates the remote control device 100 to stop the engine of the hydraulic excavator 1 during remote operation (step S05, work interruption or work completion), the seat device 40 transitions again to the standby position.

[0055] Thereafter, when the operator resumes operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 or starts remote operation of another hydraulic excavator 1 (step S06), the remote operation control of step S04 is executed again.

[0056] When the operator turns off the power switch of the remote control device 100, the seat device 40 shifts to the most forward tilted position and the power is turned off (step S07).

[0057] <Issues When the Seat Device is Tilted> Figures 8A, 8B, and 8C are side views showing the posture of the hydraulic excavator 1 according to this embodiment at the work site. As described above, in a configuration in which the seat device 40 of the remote control device 100 is tilted in accordance with the inclination of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site, allowing the operator to operate the hydraulic excavator 1 while experiencing its condition, the following problems may arise. As shown in Figure 8A, when the inclination of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site is horizontal (0 degrees), the seat device 40 of the remote control device 100 can maintain the horizontal posture shown in Figure 4, just like the hydraulic excavator 1. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8B, when the inclination of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site does not exceed the maximum inclination angle of the seat device 40, the seat device 40 of the remote control device 100 can maintain an inclined posture between the horizontal posture shown in Figure 4 and the rearward tilt posture shown in Figure 5, just like the hydraulic excavator 1. 8C , when the inclination of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site exceeds the maximum inclination angle of the seat device 40, the remote control device 100 cannot cause the seat device 40 to assume the same inclined posture as the hydraulic excavator 1. In this case, the operator cannot recognize the inclination angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site, and may inadvertently tilt the body of the hydraulic excavator 1 significantly by operating the control device 30, which could cause the hydraulic excavator 1 to tip over.

[0058] In order to solve the above-described problems, in this embodiment, when the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 is greater than a first threshold angle during remote operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 (step S04) shown in FIG. 7 , the alarm indicator 902 in the remote operation device 100 issues first notification information as predetermined alarm information. Furthermore, when the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 is greater than a second threshold angle, the alarm indicator 902 in the remote operation device 100 issues second notification information as predetermined alarm information. FIG. 9A shows an alarm image as a first alert displayed on the remote operation device 100 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 9B shows an alarm image as a second alert displayed on the remote operation device 100. FIG. 10 shows an example of an indicator L displayed on the remote operation device 100 according to this embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a threshold value for the tilt angle of the seat device 40 in the remote operation device 100 according to this embodiment.

[0059] In this embodiment, when the above-mentioned alarm information is notified to the operator of the remote control device 100, the images of Figures 9A and 9B are displayed superimposed on the camera image of the surroundings of the hydraulic excavator 1 displayed on the monitor device 20. In this case, the above-mentioned images may be displayed, for example, at the bottom edge of the screen so as not to obstruct the operator's field of vision and impair operability. Furthermore, the monitor on which the images are displayed may be the monitor in front or on the left or right sides. Furthermore, each image in Figure 9 may be displayed on a tablet 91.

[0060] In the image of FIG. 9A corresponding to the first alert, "Watch out for tipping" is displayed to the operator, and a mark calling for "Caution" and a message saying "Heavy equipment is tilted by 10 degrees or more" are displayed on the left side. The numerical value of the angle included in the message is the maximum tilt angle (10 degrees) set in the seat device 40. On the other hand, in the image of FIG. 9B corresponding to the second alert, "Tip warning" is displayed to the operator, and a mark calling for "Caution" and a message saying "Heavy equipment is tilted by 20 degrees or more" are displayed on the left side. The numerical value of the angle included in the message is the tipping threshold (20 degrees) set based on the characteristics of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0061] 9A and 9B, an area for displaying an indicator L is provided at the right end. Referring to FIG. 10, this indicator L visually notifies the user of the inclination of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site. The roll angle and pitch angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 can be understood from the shape and posture of the fan-shaped display image L1. As shown on the right side of FIG. 10, the roll angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 is indicated by the inclination of the display image L1, and the pitch angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 is indicated by the height of the display image L1. In FIG. 10, the inclination of the display image L1 can be confirmed by the inclination of the upper surface L2. Specifically, when the upper surface L2 extends to the left and right, the roll angle is 0 degrees, and the hydraulic excavator 1 is not inclined to either the left or the right. When the upper surface L2 is inclined downward to the right, the roll angle is a value greater than 0 degrees corresponding to the degree of inclination of the upper surface L2, and the hydraulic excavator 1 is in a state of inclination to the right. When the upper surface L2 is tilted upward to the right, the roll angle is a value less than 0 degrees corresponding to the degree of tilt of the upper surface L2, and the hydraulic excavator 1 is tilted to the left. The height of the displayed image L1 can be confirmed by reading the position of the upper surface L2 on the scale. Specifically, when the upper surface L2 coincides with the scale indicated by the thick line in the middle in the height direction shown in FIG. 10 , the pitch angle is 0 degrees, and the hydraulic excavator 1 is not tilted forward or backward. When the upper surface L2 is located below the thick line, the pitch angle is a value greater than 0 degrees corresponding to the length from the thick line to the upper surface L2, and the hydraulic excavator 1 is tilted backward. When the upper surface L2 is located above the thick line, the pitch angle is a value less than 0 degrees corresponding to the length from the thick line to the upper surface L2, and the hydraulic excavator 1 is tilted forward. The indicator L may be displayed in a corner of the front monitor of the monitor device 20 or on a separate monitor.

[0062] In this embodiment, thresholds for issuing the first and second alerts as described above are set in advance as shown in FIG. 11 . That is, the pitch angle and roll angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 are calculated based on information detected by the IMU 81 of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the need for an alert is determined for each of these based on the thresholds shown in FIG. 11 . As an example, the maximum structural tilt amount in the fore-aft and lateral directions of the seat device 40 of the remote control device 100 is set to, for example, ±10 degrees. Note that in this embodiment, the seat device 40 is structurally tiltable up to a maximum angle of ±15 degrees, which is the maximum tilt amount within the tilt angle range in the fore-aft and lateral directions. However, to ensure safe tilting operation, it is desirable to set the maximum tilt amount to ±10 degrees, which is a tilt amount smaller than the maximum angle, as described above. This setting is applied when the hydraulic excavator 1 is being remotely operated. On the other hand, it is not applied when the hydraulic excavator 1 is not being remotely operated, and, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 , the seat device 40 is in a fully forward tilted position, which is the maximum structural tilt amount in the fore-aft and lateral directions. The maximum tilt amount (first threshold angle) may be the maximum angle in the tilt angle range of the seat device 40. Meanwhile, based on the characteristics of the hydraulic excavator 1, the tipping threshold is set to ±20 degrees as the tilt angle for preventing tipping. Therefore, when the tilt angle (for example, pitch angle) of the hydraulic excavator 1 exceeds the range of ±10 degrees, the first alert is issued. Furthermore, when the tilt angle exceeds the range of ±20 degrees, the second alert is issued. As a result, the danger of the hydraulic excavator 1 can be quickly and accurately notified to the operator of the remote control device 100.

[0063] <Regarding Notification Process Flow> Next, a more detailed description will be given of the notification process flow in the remote control device 100. Figures 12A, 12B, and 12C are schematic diagrams showing the vehicle body inclination of the hydraulic excavator 1 according to this embodiment and thresholds for the determination process executed by the remote control device 100. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the basic process of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment.

[0064] In each diagram in Fig. 12, the overturning threshold in Fig. 11 is illustrated by a dot-dash line in the shape of an ellipse that extends long in the front-to-rear direction, and the maximum tilt amount is illustrated by a dashed line in the shape of a substantially square. In addition, in this diagram, the roll angle axis extends in the left-right direction, and the pitch angle axis extends in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 12B, the combination of the roll angle component and the pitch angle component in the vehicle body inclination information of the hydraulic excavator 1 represents the actual amount (angle) and direction of vehicle body inclination of the hydraulic excavator 1. The issuance of each alert is determined based on the magnitude relationship between this vehicle body inclination, the maximum amount of inclination, and the overturning threshold.

[0065] 12, the maximum tilt amount of the seat device 40 is a rectangle because the seat device 40 can tilt in the front-rear and left-right directions. Therefore, whether the vehicle body tilt (combined) exceeds the maximum tilt amount can be determined by whether it fits within the rectangle of the maximum tilt amount. Meanwhile, the overturning threshold of the hydraulic excavator 1 is an ellipse in which the roll angle overturning threshold is smaller than the pitch angle overturning threshold. This is because the undercarriage 1P of the hydraulic excavator 1 is more likely to overturn left-right than forward-rear. Therefore, whether the vehicle body tilt (combined) exceeds the overturning threshold can be determined by whether it fits within the range of the overturning threshold. As will be described in detail below, the shape of the tipping threshold may be set to change depending on the state of the hydraulic excavator 1 (such as the rotation angle of the upper rotating body 1Q relative to the lower running body 1P, the posture of the work attachment 1R, and the weight of the object being carried by the work attachment 1R) and the condition of the ground (such as the inclination of the ground on which the lower running body 1P is located).

[0066] During the remote operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 shown in FIG. 7 (step S04), the basic processing shown in FIG. 13 is executed. Specifically, the IMU 81 of the hydraulic excavator 1 acquires information regarding the inclination angle (pitch angle, roll angle) of the hydraulic excavator 1 (upper rotating body 1Q) (step S11). Then, the attitude calculation unit 901 of the remote control device 100 calculates the vehicle body inclination angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 by combining the pitch angle and roll angle as described above (step S12). Next, the warning instruction unit 902 determines whether the calculated combined angle is within the movable range of the seat device 40, i.e., the aforementioned maximum inclination amount, or less (step S13). Here, if the combined angle is within the movable range (YES in step S13), the inclination angle of the seat device 40 can reproduce the actual inclination angle of the hydraulic excavator 1, and therefore no alert message is displayed (step S14). Note that this case corresponds to the state in which the vehicle body inclination (combined) is within the movable range shown in FIG. 12A.

[0067] On the other hand, if the resultant angle exceeds the movable range of the seat device 40 in step S13 (No in step S13), the warning instruction unit 902 further determines whether the resultant angle is greater than or equal to the rollover threshold (step S15). If the resultant angle is equal to or less than the rollover threshold (Yes in step S15), the warning instruction unit 902 issues an alert message (first alert) to alert the operator (step S16). The warning instruction unit 902 also inputs a command signal to the speaker 92 to play an alert sound to call attention (step S17). Note that this case corresponds to the state in which the vehicle body tilt (composite) shown in FIG. 12B is outside the movable range but within the rollover threshold.

[0068] Furthermore, in step S15, if the composite angle exceeds the overturn threshold (No in step S15), the warning instruction unit 902 issues an alert message (second alert) to prompt the operator to issue a warning (step S18). The warning instruction unit 902 also inputs a command signal to the speaker 92 to play an alert sound for warning (step S19). Note that this case corresponds to the state in which the vehicle body tilt (composite) shown in FIG. 12C is outside the range of the overturn threshold.

[0069] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an alert cancellation process in the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment. Assume that each alert shown in FIG. 13 has been issued and a warning message is displayed on the monitor device 20. Here, when the operator operates the remote control device 100 and the lever operation amount is acquired (step S21), angle information is acquired by the IMU 81, and the attitude calculation unit 901 calculates the vehicle body tilt angle (step S22). The warning instruction unit 902 then determines whether the calculated vehicle body tilt angle is greater than or equal to the overturn threshold (step S23). If the vehicle body tilt angle is equal to or less than the overturn threshold (YES in step S23), the warning instruction unit 902 executes an alert cancellation process and hides the alert message displayed on the monitor device 20 (step S24). On the other hand, if the vehicle body tilt angle exceeds the overturn threshold (NO in step S23), the warning instruction unit 902 determines whether the operation input to the control device 30 includes an operation in a direction to eliminate overturn (step S25). If the input operation includes an operation in the direction of eliminating the fall (YES in step S25), the warning instruction unit 902 proceeds to step S24 and hides the alert message. On the other hand, if the input operation does not include an operation in the direction of eliminating the fall (NO in step S25), the warning instruction unit 902 returns to step S21 and repeats the alert cancellation process.

[0070] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing part of the alert cancellation processing of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment. FIG. 15 shows the processing for determining whether or not an operation in the direction to resolve tipping over has been performed in step S25 of FIG. 14 . In step S25, when an operation by the operator is input to the control device 30, the tilt angle (sensor angle) of the hydraulic excavator 1 is acquired by the IMU 81 (step S31). Then, the warning instruction unit 902 compares the absolute value of the acquired current sensor angle (present value) with the absolute value of the previously acquired sensor angle (previous value) (step S32). Here, if the absolute value of the current value is smaller than the absolute value of the previous value (Yes in step S32), the warning instruction unit 902 determines that an operation in the direction to resolve tipping over of the hydraulic excavator 1 has been input to the control device 30 (step S33), and stores the previous value of the sensor angle of the IMU 81 in the storage unit 903 (step S34). On the other hand, in step S32, if the absolute value of the current value is greater than the absolute value of the previous value (No in step S32), the warning instruction unit 902 determines that an operation in a direction to correct the overturning of the hydraulic excavator 1 has not been input to the control device 30 (step S35). In this case, as shown in Fig. 14, the result in step S25 is No, and the warning instruction unit 902 returns to step S21 and repeats the alert cancellation process.

[0071] Second Embodiment FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the processing of a remote control device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The following description will focus on differences from the first embodiment. This embodiment is characterized in that, when a warning message is displayed, the amount of operation received by the control device 30 is limited and input to the drive control unit 801 of the hydraulic excavator 1, forcing and carefully operating the hydraulic excavator 1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 16 , when the control device 30 receives an operation from the operator while the warning message is displayed, the amount of lever operation is acquired (step S41). Next, the alarm command unit 902 applies a predetermined gain to the amount of lever operation to limit it and then transmits it to the hydraulic excavator 1. A command signal corresponding to the amount of operation to which the gain has been applied is input to the proportional valve of the machine drive unit 82 via the drive control unit 801 (step S42).

[0072] Thereafter, the warning instruction unit 902 determines whether the vehicle body tilt angle is equal to or less than the rollover threshold (step S43), and if the vehicle body tilt angle is equal to or less than the rollover threshold (Yes in step S43), hides the warning message (step S44). On the other hand, if the vehicle body tilt angle exceeds the rollover threshold in step S43 (No in step S43), the processing from step S41 onwards is repeated.

[0073] In addition, when limiting the operation amount in this embodiment, the operation amount may be multiplied by a coefficient smaller than 1 as a gain. For example, during normal operation, the input lever operation amount is input directly to the drive control unit 801 of the hydraulic excavator 1, whereas during restriction in this embodiment, a value obtained by multiplying the input lever operation amount by 0.5 is input to the drive control unit 801. As a result, it is possible to carefully control the movement of the hydraulic excavator 1 when a warning message is issued.

[0074] Furthermore, the above-mentioned restriction on the manipulated variable may be implemented by lowering a preset upper limit value of the manipulated variable. As an example, suppose that under normal circumstances, the manipulated variable is variable within a range of 0 to 100, and the input manipulated variable (drive command signal) is input as is to the drive control unit 801 of the hydraulic excavator 1. In this case, a number between 0 and 100 indicates the tilt amount of the lever, with 0 corresponding to the neutral state of the lever and 100 corresponding to the full lever state. On the other hand, under restriction in this embodiment, the manipulated variable may be variable within a range between 0 and 50. In this case, an manipulated variable of 50 or more is forcibly reduced to 50 and input to the drive control unit 801 of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0075] Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing the processing of the remote control device according to this embodiment. In the first embodiment described above, as shown in Fig. 15, the tilt angle (sensor angle) of the hydraulic excavator 1 is acquired by the IMU 81 (step S31), and the warning instruction unit 902 compares the magnitude relationship between the absolute value of the acquired current sensor angle (present value) and the absolute value of the sensor angle acquired last time (previous value) (step S32), thereby determining whether an operation in a direction to resolve overturning has been input.

[0076] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17 , while the warning message is being displayed, sensor angle information is acquired by the IMU 81, and the attitude calculation unit 901 calculates the vehicle body inclination angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 (upper rotating body 1Q) (step S51). The warning indicator 902 then determines whether an operation in the direction of rectifying the overturn has been input (step S52). If it is determined that an operation in the direction of rectifying the overturn has been input (YES in step S52), the lever operation amount input to the control device 30 is acquired (step S53), and this value is input to the drive control unit 801 of the hydraulic excavator 1 and then to the proportional valve of the mechanical drive unit 82 (step S54). Then, as in the previous embodiment, if the vehicle body inclination (composite angle) is equal to or less than the overturn threshold (YES in step S55), the warning message is hidden (step S56). On the other hand, if the vehicle body inclination exceeds the overturn threshold (NO in step S55) in step S55, the processing from step S51 onward is repeated. Furthermore, if it is determined in step S52 that an operation in the direction of eliminating the tipping has not been input (No in step S52), the warning instruction unit 902 does not accept the operation and does not input an operation amount to the drive control unit 801 of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0077] In step S52, for example, when the amount of vehicle body tilt gradually decreases (20 degrees → 19 degrees → 18 degrees), it can be determined that an operation in the direction of rectifying a rollover has been input. Taking into consideration that the direction of tilt of the operation may change midway, it may be determined that an operation in the direction of rectifying a rollover has been input when the ratio of vehicle body tilt / tilt threshold gradually decreases. It may also be determined that an operation in the direction of rectifying a rollover has been input based on a gradual decrease in the actual amount of vehicle body tilt. More precisely, the determination condition may be that both the input amount of operation and the actual amount of vehicle body tilt gradually decrease.

[0078] <Third Embodiment> Figure 18 is a flowchart showing the processing of a remote control device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The following explanation will focus on the differences from the first and second embodiments. In this embodiment, when second notification information is output and there is a risk of the hydraulic excavator 1 tipping over, processing is executed to forcibly stop (limit) the movement of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0079] 18 , while the warning message is being displayed, the hydraulic excavator 1 is forcibly stopped (step S61). That is, the alarm instruction unit 902 sets the input value to the proportional valve of the machine drive unit 82 to zero via the drive control unit 801 of the hydraulic excavator 1. Next, the alarm instruction unit 902 determines whether or not the operator of the remote control device 100 has pressed a preset temporary anti-tip prevention release switch (step S62).

[0080] Here, the temporary release switch is also referred to as a momentary switch, and when the temporary release switch is pressed and held down, operation of the proportional valve included in the machine drive unit 82 is permitted. Therefore, when the operator operates the control device 30 while pressing the temporary release switch, the hydraulic excavator 1 operates in accordance with that operation, but when the operator does not press the temporary release switch, the hydraulic excavator 1 does not operate even if the operator operates the control device 30.

[0081] For this reason, if the overturn prevention temporary release switch is pressed in step S62 (Yes in step S62), the lever operation amount input to the control device 30 is acquired (step S63), and a signal corresponding to the lever operation amount is input to the proportional valve of the machine drive unit 82 via the drive control unit 801 (step S64). On the other hand, if the overturn prevention temporary release switch is not pressed in step S62 (No in step S62), the process returns to step S61 and the hydraulic excavator 1 continues to be stopped.

[0082] When a command signal is input to the proportional valve in step S64, the vehicle body tilt angle is compared with the overturning threshold value (step S65), and if the vehicle body tilt angle is equal to or less than the overturning threshold value (Yes in step S65), the warning message is hidden (step S66). On the other hand, if the vehicle body tilt angle exceeds the overturning threshold value (No in step S65), the process returns to step S61 and the hydraulic excavator 1 continues to be stopped.

[0083] As described above, in this embodiment, the hydraulic excavator 1 is forcibly stopped when there is a risk of the hydraulic excavator 1 tipping over. After that, at the operator's discretion, having recognized the danger, the forced stop of the hydraulic excavator 1 can be temporarily released, allowing the operator to operate the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0084] Fig. 19 is a flowchart showing part of the processing of the remote control device 100 according to this embodiment. In the first embodiment described above, the maximum tilt amount and the overturning threshold are set in advance, as shown in each diagram of Fig. 12 , but the present invention is not limited to this. This embodiment is characterized in that the overturning threshold is updated depending on the state of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0085] Specifically, in this embodiment, angle information is acquired in advance from an attachment angle sensor (ATT angle sensor) attached to the work attachment 1R, and the attitude of the work attachment 1R is calculated by the attitude calculation unit 901 (step S71). Next, the pressure (bucket cylinder pressure) of the bucket cylinder that drives the bucket attached to the tip of the work attachment 1R is acquired, and the warning instruction unit 902 calculates the weight of the excavated object (item held in the bucket) based on this value (step S72). The warning instruction unit 902 then calculates the overturning threshold value (elliptical shape, distribution) of FIG. 12 based on the attitude of the work attachment 1R and the weight of the excavated object (step S73).

[0086] With this configuration, when the hydraulic excavator 1 is prone to tipping forward, for example, when the work attachment 1R extends significantly forward from the upper rotating body 1Q or when the weight of the excavated material is heavy, the front part of the elliptical shape showing the tipping threshold in Figure 12 can be moved to a position closer to the hydraulic excavator 1, thereby reliably preventing the hydraulic excavator 1 from tipping over.

[0087] 20 and 21 are flowcharts showing the processing of a remote control device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The following description will focus on the differences from the first, second, and third embodiments.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 20 , this embodiment is characterized in that the alert is changed depending on the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 to encourage the operator to be alerted. Specifically, while the warning message is being displayed, sensor angle information from the IMU 81 is acquired, and the attitude calculation unit 901 calculates the vehicle body tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 based on that information (step S81). Furthermore, the attitude calculation unit 901 calculates the difference between the vehicle body tilt angle calculated above and the overturning limit angle (overturning threshold) (step S82). Here, the smaller the calculated angle difference, the more frequently the warning instruction unit 902 flashes the warning message displayed on the monitor device 20 to emphasize the message (step S83). Furthermore, the smaller the calculated angle difference, the more frequently the warning instruction unit 902 plays the alarm sound from the speaker 92 to emphasize the alarm sound (step S84).

[0089] Thereafter, as in the previous embodiments, if the vehicle body tilt angle is equal to or less than the tipping threshold (Yes in step S85), the warning message is hidden (step S86) and the alert sound is stopped (step S87).On the other hand, if the vehicle body tilt angle exceeds the tipping threshold in step S85 (No in step S85), the processing from step S81 onwards is repeated.

[0090] With this configuration, the operator of the remote control device 100 can be accurately notified of the degree of danger in accordance with the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 at the work site. Note that either the display of the message or the reproduction of the alert sound may be performed.

[0091] 21 , in this embodiment, the angular velocity of the hydraulic excavator 1 detected by the IMU 81 is referenced. Specifically, during the remote operation (step S04) of FIG. 7 , the IMU 81 acquires the angular velocity of the movement of the hydraulic excavator 1 (upper rotating body 1Q) (step S91). The warning indicator 902 then determines whether the acquired angular velocity is within a preset seat velocity range (step S92). Here, the seat velocity range indicates a range of drive speeds that can be achieved in the movement of the seat device 40 driven by the drive device 50, and is stored in advance in the storage unit 903.

[0092] In step S92, if the acquired angular velocity is within the seat velocity range (Yes in step S92), the warning instruction unit 902 hides the displayed alert message (step S93). On the other hand, in step S92, if the acquired angular velocity is outside the seat velocity range (No in step S92), the warning instruction unit 902 displays an alert message (Caution) on the monitor device 20 and plays a caution alarm sound from the speaker 92 (step S95).

[0093] In this embodiment, because of the determination processing in step S92, an alert can be displayed if a large angular velocity occurs, for example, when the hydraulic excavator 1 climbs over a rock or the like at a work site. The drive device 50 that drives the seat device 40 may not have the responsiveness to reproduce instantaneous angle changes, making it difficult to notify the operator of the remote control device 100 that a large angular velocity has occurred in the hydraulic excavator 1 by tilting the seat. For this reason, in this embodiment, as described above, if the responsiveness of seat tilting is insufficient, the operator can be notified of the state of the hydraulic excavator 1 by a message or alarm.

[0094] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be realized by combining aspects of the above-described embodiments.

[0095] Furthermore, in the previous embodiment, the tilt angle of the seat device 40 is reproduced in a one-to-one relationship with the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1, but the tilt angle of the seat device 40 may be set to have a relationship of 1:0.9 or 1:1.1 by multiplying the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 by a predetermined coefficient (tilt angle of hydraulic excavator 1 × coefficient = tilt angle of seat device 40). In this case, an alert may be similarly output when the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 × coefficient exceeds the maximum tilt amount.

[0096] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6 , an attitude calculation unit 802 is illustrated in the machine-side control unit 80, and instead of the attitude calculation unit 901, the attitude calculation unit 802 may calculate the attitude of the hydraulic excavator 1 and transmit the result to the remote-operation-side control unit 90 via the communication unit 83 and the communication unit 93.

[0097] Furthermore, when the tilt angle of the hydraulic excavator 1 is greater than both the first threshold angle and the second threshold angle, the warning instruction unit 902 may give priority to outputting the second notification information.

[0098] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the remote control device 100 functions as a remote control device that can remotely operate the hydraulic excavator 1 at a work site, but the object of remote control by the remote control device 100 is not limited to the hydraulic excavator 1, and the object of remote control by the remote control device 100 may be a work machine such as a crane that performs crane work, a bulldozer that performs ground leveling work using a blade (blade), or a work vehicle that performs transport work or moving work, such as an automobile or truck, and the object of remote control may be remotely operated by the remote control device 100. In this case, it is sufficient that the seat device 40 is tilted in accordance with the tilt angle of the object of operation.

[0099] In the above embodiment, the remote control device 100 as the operating device functions as a remote control device capable of remotely operating the hydraulic excavator 1 at a work site. However, the operating device may also function as a simulator for virtually operating a virtual work machine in a virtual space. The simulator is configured to accept input of an operation by an operator to the control device 30 (operation mechanism) of the remote control device 100 and drive the virtual work machine in accordance with the amount of operation. A virtual space including the terrain and objects surrounding the virtual work machine, including the ground, is reproduced in the simulator as a virtual work site, and a simulator image capturing the environment including the virtual work machine and the virtual work site, captured from the viewpoint of a virtual imaging device attached to the virtual work machine, is displayed on the monitor device 20. In the virtual work site, as the virtual work machine moves, the inclination angle of the virtual work machine changes depending on the terrain. Furthermore, depending on the work, a portion of the virtual work machine may rise up, changing the inclination angle of the virtual work machine. In this case, the seat device 40 may be tilted in accordance with the inclination angle of the virtual work machine at the virtual work site.

[0100] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an operating device capable of operating a work machine includes a seat device on which an operator can sit, a tilt drive unit capable of tilting the seat device in accordance with the tilt angle of the work machine within a preset tilt angle range, and a notification unit that outputs first notification information to the operator when the tilt angle of the work machine is greater than a first threshold angle set corresponding to the maximum angle within the tilt angle range.

[0101] According to this configuration, it is possible to notify the operator that the tilt angle of the work machine is in a large tilt state in which the tilt angle exceeds the first threshold angle corresponding to the maximum angle of the seat device.

[0102] An operating device for a work implement according to a second aspect of the present invention may be the operating device according to the first aspect, wherein the tilt drive unit tilts the seat device to the first threshold angle when the tilt angle of the work machine exceeds the first threshold angle.

[0103] According to this configuration, when the tilt angle of the work machine is in a large tilt state that exceeds the first threshold angle corresponding to the maximum angle of the seat device, the seat device can be set to the largest possible tilt angle.

[0104] A manipulation device for a work implement according to a third aspect of the present invention is the manipulation device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the first threshold angle may be the maximum angle of the tilt angle range.

[0105] According to this configuration, the seat device can be tilted to the maximum tilt angle that the seat device can achieve.

[0106] An operating device for a work device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention may be the operating device according to the first to third aspects, further comprising a display device arranged opposite the seat device, and the notification unit may be configured by the display device that outputs a display related to the first notification information.

[0107] According to this configuration, the first notification information is displayed on a display device that is easily visible to the operator seated in the seat device, so that the operator can be reliably notified.

[0108] An operating device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the operating device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the notification unit outputs second notification information different from the first notification information when the tilt angle of the work machine is greater than a second threshold angle that is set in advance to prevent the work machine from tipping over.

[0109] According to this configuration, the operator is notified that the work machine is in a tilt state in which the tilt angle exceeds the second threshold angle, making it possible to prevent the work machine from tipping over.

[0110] An operating device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention may be the operating device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the notification unit prioritizes outputting the second notification information when the tilt angle of the work machine is greater than both the first threshold angle and the second threshold angle.

[0111] According to this configuration, regardless of the tilt angle of the seat device, it is possible to notify the operator that the tilt angle of the work machine is in a tilt state in which the tilt angle exceeds the second threshold angle.

[0112] A seventh aspect of the present invention provides the operating device according to the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein the second threshold angle is set to be larger than the first threshold angle.

[0113] According to this configuration, when the tilt angle of the work machine to be reproduced by the seat device is smaller than the first threshold angle, the second notification information is not output. When the tilt angle is smaller than the first threshold angle, the magnitude of the tilt angle is notified to the operator via the seat device, so outputting the second notification information would be excessive information for the operator. Therefore, by not outputting the second notification information when the tilt angle is smaller than the first threshold angle, it is possible to prevent the second notification information from being annoyed to the operator.

[0114] An operating device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the operating device according to any one of the fifth to seventh aspects, further comprising an operating mechanism that receives an operation input by the operator and generates a drive command signal for moving the work machine in accordance with the amount of operation, and the operating mechanism may be configured to generate the drive command signal so as to restrict movement of the work machine when the notification unit is outputting the second notification information.

[0115] According to this configuration, when the second notification information is being output, the operation mechanism restricts the movement of the work machine, thereby safely preventing the work machine from tipping over.

[0116] An operating device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the operating device according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, further comprising a tilt command unit that inputs a command signal according to the tilt angle of the work machine to the tilt drive unit, and the tilt drive unit tilts the seat device according to the command signal input from the tilt command unit.

[0117] According to this configuration, a command signal for tilting the seat device in accordance with the tilt angle of the work machine can be input to the tilt drive unit.

[0118] An operating device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention may be the operating device according to the ninth aspect, wherein, when the tilt angle of the work machine exceeds the first threshold angle, the tilt drive unit inputs the command signal corresponding to the first threshold angle to the tilt drive unit.

[0119] In the above configuration, when the tilt angle of the work machine exceeds the first threshold angle, a command signal can be input to the tilt drive unit to tilt the seat device to an angle equivalent to the first threshold angle.

[0120] As described above, the present invention provides a working machine operation device that enables an operator who remotely operates a working machine to safely recognize the inclination of the working machine at the work site.

Claims

1. An operating device capable of operating a work machine, comprising: a seat device on which an operator can sit; a tilt drive unit capable of tilting the seat device according to the tilt angle of the work machine within a preset tilt angle range; and an alarm unit that outputs first alarm information to the operator when the tilt angle of the work machine is greater than a first threshold angle set corresponding to the maximum angle of the tilt angle range.

2. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein the tilt drive unit tilts the seat device to the first threshold angle when the tilt angle of the work machine exceeds the first threshold angle.

3. An operating device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first threshold angle is the maximum angle of the tilt angle range.

4. An operating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a display device arranged opposite the seat device, wherein the notification unit is constituted by the display device which outputs a display relating to the first notification information.

5. An operating device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the notification unit outputs second notification information different from the first notification information when the inclination angle of the work machine is greater than a second threshold angle that is preset to prevent the work machine from overturning.

6. An operating device as described in claim 5, wherein the notification unit outputs the second notification information with priority when the tilt angle of the work machine is greater than both the first threshold angle and the second threshold angle.

7. The operating device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the second threshold angle is set to be larger than the first threshold angle.

8. An operating device as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, further comprising an operation mechanism that receives operation input by the operator and generates a drive command signal for moving the work machine in accordance with the amount of operation of the operation, wherein the operation mechanism generates the drive command signal so as to restrict the movement of the work machine when the notification unit is outputting the second notification information.

9. An operating device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a tilt command unit which inputs a command signal corresponding to the tilt angle of the work machine to the tilt drive unit, and the tilt drive unit tilts the seat device in response to the command signal input from the tilt command unit.

10. An operating device as described in claim 9, wherein, when the tilt angle of the work machine exceeds the first threshold angle, the tilt drive unit inputs the command signal corresponding to the first threshold angle to the tilt drive unit.

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