Work machine

Abstract

Provided is a work machine comprising: a vehicle body having a front work device; a touch monitor that is an input / output device capable of screen display and touch operation; and a control device that controls the display of the touch monitor. When a touch operation is performed on a first setting state display icon indicating a first setting state among the setting states of the vehicle body in a state in which the first setting state display icon is displayed on the touch monitor, the control device displays, on the screen of the touch monitor, a touch-operated setting panel that changes the first setting state according to the touch operation. Thus, deterioration of the visibility of necessary information on the screen of the touch monitor is suppressed, and setting change operation by touch operation is made easy to understand.

Description

Working Machine

[0001] The present invention relates to a working machine such as a hydraulic excavator provided with a touch monitor.

[0002] In recent years, an increasing number of working machines including hydraulic excavators employ touch monitors as input / output devices for operators. A touch monitor allows an operator to perform operations by directly touching the screen of the touch monitor with a finger, so more intuitive screen operation can be achieved than with conventional mechanical switches.

[0003] On the other hand, a touch monitor accepts an accidental contact of an operator's body with the screen as an input operation, so there is a possibility that an erroneous operation may occur during work. If a display or setting is changed unexpectedly during work due to an erroneous operation, the operator is forced to perform an operation to restore the display and setting each time, which may reduce work efficiency.

[0004] In order to prevent such erroneous operations, a touch monitor is known that disables touch operations when the working machine is operable and requires a specific release operation on the screen to release the disabled state of touch operations (Patent Document 1). In this case, switching of displays and settings when an operator accidentally touches the screen during work is suppressed.

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-202841

[0006] However, in the touch monitor of Patent Document 1, since an icon dedicated to unlocking for enabling touch operations is displayed on the screen, the icon dedicated to unlocking occupies the display area for other information, which may degrade the visibility of necessary displays. In addition, a specific monitor unlocking operation must be performed to change settings via touch operation, which makes the setting operation complicated and difficult to understand.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a working machine that can suppress a decrease in visibility of necessary information on a screen of a touch monitor and make setting change operations via touch operation easy to understand.

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a work machine comprising a vehicle body having a front work device, a touch monitor which is an input / output device capable of screen display and touch operation, and a control device which controls the display of the touch monitor, wherein the control device, when a first setting state display icon indicating a first setting state among the setting states of the vehicle body is displayed on the touch monitor, displays a setting panel for touch operation on the screen of the touch monitor which changes the first setting state by touch operation.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a work machine that suppresses the decrease in visibility of necessary information on the touch monitor screen and makes setting changes via touch operation easy to understand.

[0010] Figure 1 is an external view of a hydraulic excavator, which is an example of a work machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the interior of the operator's cab of the hydraulic excavator shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the basic screen displayed on the touch monitor of the hydraulic excavator shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a setting panel. Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of the control device of the hydraulic excavator shown in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control device in response to switch operation. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control device in response to touch operation. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the control procedure for displaying / hiding the setting panel by the control device. Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of an example of touch operation for the first setting item. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of touch operation for the second setting item. Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of an example of switch operation.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] -Work Machinery- Figure 1 is an external view of a hydraulic excavator 1, which is an example of work machinery according to one embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 1, a hydraulic excavator 1 is shown as an example of work machinery, but the present invention can also be applied to other work machinery such as wheel loaders, bulldozers, cranes, etc.

[0013] The hydraulic excavator 1 illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a multi-jointed front working device 1A including a boom 1a, an arm 1b, and a bucket 1c that rotate in a vertical plane, and a vehicle body 1B including a slewing body 1d and a traveling body 1e. The slewing body 1d is equipped with a driver's cab 1f.

[0014] The base end of the boom 1a of the front working device 1A is attached to the front of the slewing body 1d. The boom 1a, arm 1b, bucket 1c, slewing body 1d, and traveling body 1e are driven by hydraulic actuators: boom cylinder 2a, arm cylinder 2b, bucket cylinder 2c, slewing motor 3d, and left and right traveling motors 3e and 3f, respectively. The bucket 1c can be replaced with other attachments such as a breaker or a small crushing machine.

[0015] Although not shown in the diagram, attitude sensors 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d are attached to each joint of the front work device 1A and to the joint between the swivel body 1d and the traveling body 1e, allowing the angle of each rotating part to be obtained.

[0016] The slewing body 1d is equipped with an engine 5, a hydraulic pump 6, electronically controlled valves 7, etc., for operating the hydraulic excavator 1 (Figure 5). The hydraulic pump 6 is driven by the rotation of the engine 5 and discharges hydraulic fluid. This discharged hydraulic fluid flows to cylinders 2a, 2b, 2c and motors 3d, 3e, 3f, thereby driving these hydraulic actuators and operating the hydraulic excavator 1. Therefore, as the rotational speed of the engine 5 increases, the flow rate of hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump 6 increases, and the operating speed of each hydraulic actuator increases. In addition, each solenoid valve constituting the electronically controlled valve 7 opens and closes according to the control command value output from the control device 8 (Figure 5), controlling the flow rate of hydraulic fluid supplied to the corresponding hydraulic actuator.

[0017] The rotational speed of engine 5 is controlled based on the target rotational speed and power mode set by the operator. In this embodiment, the target rotational speed can be set in seven stages, and the engine rotational speed can be adjusted using a value obtained by dividing the difference between the maximum and minimum rotational speeds of engine 5 into seven equal parts as the smallest unit.

[0018] The power mode can be selected from two options: ECO mode and PWR mode. The maximum rotational speed of engine 5 changes depending on the selected mode (the minimum rotational speed is the same for both modes). For example, let's assume the minimum rotational speed is 800 rpm, the maximum rotational speed when ECO mode is selected is 1600 rpm, the maximum rotational speed when PWR mode is selected is 2000 rpm, and the target rotational speed is set to "4". In this case, the target rotational speed is determined using a value obtained by dividing the difference between the maximum and minimum rotational speeds into seven equal parts as the smallest unit. Therefore, when ECO mode is selected, the engine rotational speed is controlled with a target value of approximately 1257 rpm, and when PWR mode is selected, it is controlled with a target value of approximately 1485 rpm. For this reason, even if the same level of target rotational speed is set, engine 5 will operate at different rotational speeds depending on the power mode setting.

[0019] The travel motors 3e and 3f can operate in two modes, a low-speed mode and a high-speed mode, depending on the tilt angle of the swash plate they have inside. When the same hydraulic fluid flow rate is supplied, the travel motors 3e and 3f rotate at a higher speed in high-speed mode than in low-speed mode.

[0020] Furthermore, when attaching attachments other than bucket 1c, a dedicated hydraulic piping is connected, and the attachment can be operated using the hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump 6. The control device 8 (Figure 5) can store and change information about the attachments to be attached, and calculates control command values ​​for the electronic control valve 7 based on the attachment information.

[0021] The rotating body 1d is equipped with cameras 9a, 9b, and 9c on its right, rear, and left sides, respectively, for capturing surveillance video 311 (Figure 4) of the area around the body 1B of the hydraulic excavator 1. The video captured by cameras 9a, 9b, and 9c can be viewed in real time inside the operator's cab 1f.

[0022] Furthermore, work lights 10a and 10b (Figure 5) are attached to the slewing body 1d and boom 1a, respectively. When working in dark places such as at night, visibility of the surroundings can be ensured by turning on the work lights 10a and 10b. The working lights 10a and 10b can be switched between three states from the operator's cab 1f: both lights 10a and 10b off, one light 10a or 10b on, or both lights 10a and 10b on.

[0023] In addition, a wiper 11 and a washer 12 (Figure 5) are installed on the front window of the driver's cab 1f, and the wiper is driven and the washer fluid is sprayed by controlling their respective motors. The operating state of the wiper 11 can be selected from a total of five states: OFF, continuous operation, intermittent 1, intermittent 2, and intermittent 3. Intermittent 1, 2, and 3 are intermittent (at regular time intervals) wiper operations, with the wiper operation cycle becoming shorter in the order of intermittent 1, 2, and 3. The wiper 11 and washer 12 can also be operated from inside the driver's cab 1f, similar to the work lights 10a and 10b.

[0024] - Driver's Cabin - Figure 2 shows the interior of the driver's cab 1f. Electric control levers 201a, 201b, 201c, and 201d for operating the vehicle body 1B and the front work device 1A are installed inside the driver's cab 1f. The control levers 201a and 201b, located to the left and right of the driver's seat, can be operated in four directions: forward, backward, left, and right, and correspond to the operation of the front work device 1A and the slewing body 1d. The control levers 201c and 201d, located in front of the driver's seat, can be operated in two directions: forward and backward, and correspond to the operation of the left and right travel motors 3e and 3f attached to the travel body 1e. Furthermore, buttons 201e, 201f, 201g, and 201h are provided on the upper end surfaces of the control levers 201a and 201b, which correspond to the sound of the horn and the operation of attachments, respectively.

[0025] Furthermore, the operator's cab 1f is equipped with a shut-off lever 202 for switching the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 on or off. The shut-off lever 202 is a locking device that sets the operation of the operating levers 201a-201d on or off. When the shut-off lever 202 is in the unlocked position, the operation of the operating levers 201a-201d, etc., is enabled, and the hydraulic excavator 1 operates in response to the operation of the operating levers 201a-201d. On the other hand, when the shut-off lever 202 is in the locked position, the operation of the operating levers 201a-201d, etc., is disabled, and the hydraulic excavator 1 will not operate even if the operating levers 201a-201d are operated.

[0026] In addition, the driver's cab on the first floor is equipped with amenities such as air conditioning and audio systems, allowing the operator to adjust the airflow and temperature of the air conditioner and listen to the radio according to their preferences.

[0027] Furthermore, a touch monitor 203 is mounted on the front right side of the driver's cab 1f. This touch monitor is an input / output device that allows for checking and changing various settings of the hydraulic excavator 1, displaying camera images captured by cameras 9a, 9b, and 9c, and enabling touch operation.

[0028] -Touch Monitor- Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the basic screen displayed on the touch monitor. The basic screen illustrated in Figure 3 is a screen displayed on the touch monitor 203 by the control device 8 while the hydraulic excavator 1 is in operation. This basic screen displays a first setting status display icon that represents the first setting status among the setting status of the vehicle body (a status related to work operations such as the operation and form of the front work device 1A or the vehicle body 1B (including the traveling body 1e and the rotating body 1d)). In addition to the first setting status, the setting status of the vehicle body includes a second setting status which is a setting status related to the work operations of the vehicle body 1B or the front work device 1A and is different from the first setting status (a setting status of the operation of equipment that is not directly related to the work operations of the hydraulic excavator 1). In this embodiment, the first setting status display icon represents the first setting status by the setting status of the first setting item related to work operations such as the operation and form of the front work device 1A or the vehicle body 1B.

[0029] The first setting status display icon includes at least one of the following: engine speed icon 301, driving mode icon 302, power mode icon 303, and attachment type icon 304. Of these first setting status display icons, the touch-operable driving mode icon 302, power mode icon 303, and attachment type icon 304 are displayed by the control device 8 on one side of the touch monitor 203 screen (in this example, one side in the vertical direction, specifically the top).

[0030] The engine speed icon 301 displays the setting status of the target rotational speed for operating the engine 5. As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the target rotational speed of the engine 5 can be set in seven stages, and the engine speed icon 301 displays the setting status of the target rotational speed of the engine 5 using segments that indicate the seven stages. In the example in Figure 3, the state in which the target rotational speed is set to the fifth stage out of seven stages is shown.

[0031] The driving mode icon 302 indicates whether low-speed mode or high-speed mode is selected as the operating setting for the driving motors 3e and 3f. In this embodiment, if low-speed mode is set, the driving mode icon 302 becomes a turtle icon, and if high-speed mode is set, the driving mode icon 302 becomes a rabbit icon. In the example in Figure 3, the state in which high-speed mode is selected is shown.

[0032] The power mode icon 303 indicates whether the ECO mode or PWR mode described above is selected as the maximum rotational speed setting for the engine 5. In the example in Figure 3, the PWR mode is shown as selected.

[0033] The attachment type icon 304 indicates the type of attachment currently mounted on the front work device 1A. The operator uses the attachment type icon 304 to set the type of attachment mounted on the front work device 1A. The attachment type icon 304 displays the setting status with a diagram that mimics the shape of the mounted attachment. In the example in Figure 3, the bucket 1c is shown as selected for the front work device 1A.

[0034] Furthermore, the basic screen also displays a second setting status indicator icon, which shows the second setting status, along with the first setting status indicator icon. In this embodiment, the second setting status indicator icon represents the setting status of a predetermined second setting item, excluding the first setting item. For example, the second setting status is a setting status that indicates the operating or stopped state of at least one of the work lights 10a, 10b, audio, wiper 11, and washer 12, and the second setting status indicator icon includes at least one of the work light icon 305, audio icon 306, wiper icon 307, and washer icon 308. The work light icon 305, audio icon 306, wiper icon 307, and washer icon 308 each correspond to touch operation. Unlike when the first setting status indicator icon is touch-operated, when the second setting status indicator icon is touch-operated, the setting panel described later is not displayed on the touch monitor 203.

[0035] The work light icon 305 indicates the illuminated state of the work lights 10a and 10b mentioned above. Each time the work light icon 305 is touched, the three operating states of the work lights 10a and 10b mentioned above switch in sequence.

[0036] The audio icon 306 indicates the mute / unmute status of the audio. Each time the audio icon 306 is touched, the audio switches between muted and unmuted states.

[0037] The wiper icon 307 indicates the operating status of the wiper 11. Each time the wiper icon 307 is touched, the five operating states of the wiper 11 described above switch in sequence.

[0038] The washer icon 308 indicates the operating status of the washer 12. While the washer icon 308 is touched, washer fluid is sprayed to clean the windows of the driver's cab 1f, and when the finger is removed from the washer icon 308, the spraying of washer fluid stops.

[0039] In addition, the basic screen displays a fuel gauge 309, a water temperature gauge 310, a clock 312, the air conditioning setting status 313, the audio setting status 314, as well as surveillance footage 311 captured by cameras 9a-9c (in the example in Figure 3, an overhead view created by combining footage captured by cameras 9a-9c), along with the first setting status display icon and the second setting status display icon.

[0040] In addition to the basic screen illustrated in Figure 3, the touch monitor 203 can also display menu screens not shown. The menu screen allows users to check and change other settings for the hydraulic excavator 1, such as the air conditioning and audio system. The menu screen is displayed on the touch monitor 203 by selecting the menu icon 315 on the basic screen.

[0041] Furthermore, the basic screen and menu screen display a focus 316 for selecting a predetermined display item. On the basic screen, the focus 316 is located at one of the following: the driving mode icon 302, the power mode icon 303, the attachment type icon 304, or the menu icon 315, and the focus position moves according to the operator's actions.

[0042] -Screen Operation Device- As shown in Figure 2, a jog dial 204 and four push buttons 205a, 205b, 205c, 205d are provided as physical operation devices on the right side of the driver's seat and behind the operation lever 201a. The jog dial 204 and the push buttons 205a to 205d are provided separately from the touch monitor 203, and function as a screen operation device that accepts setting operations for a first setting state. The jog dial 204 and the push buttons 205a to 205d enable operations on a screen displayed on the touch monitor 203 and operations for various settings related to the hydraulic excavator 1. The jog dial 204 is configured to allow rotation operation, pressing operation, and slide operation in up, down, left, and right directions. The push buttons 205a to 205d are momentary-type buttons.

[0043] When the jog dial 204 is rotated, the target rotation speed of the engine 5 is changed. When the jog dial 204 is pressed, a confirmation operation for the icon selected by the focus 316 is performed. When the jog dial 204 is slid, the focus 316 moves in the operation direction on the screen of the touch monitor 203.

[0044] When the push button 205a is pressed, the lighting state of the work lights 10a and 10b is switched, which is the same as when the work light icon 305 is touch-operated. When the push button 205b is pressed, the audio mute / unmute state is switched, which is the same as when the audio icon 306 is touch-operated. When the push button 205c is pressed, the operating state of the wiper 11 is switched, which is the same as when the wiper icon 307 is touch-operated. Further, while the push button 205d is pressed, washer fluid is ejected, which is the same as when the washer icon 308 is being touched.

[0045] -Settings Panel- Figure 4 shows an example of a settings panel, which is a function setting screen. The settings panel 350 illustrated in Figure 4 is a touch-operated settings panel that changes the first setting state by touch operation, and is the setting screen for the first setting item described above. When a touch operation is performed on any of the first setting state display icons (driving mode icon 302, power mode icon 303, attachment type icon 304) that can be touch-operated on the basic screen of this settings panel 350, the control device 8 displays it on the screen of the touch monitor 203.

[0046] The setting panel 350 is displayed by the control device 8 within the basic screen at a location separate from the first setting status display icons (driving mode icon 302, power mode icon 303, attachment type icon 304), which are touch-operable. In this embodiment, as described above, the control device 8 displays the first setting status display icons on one side (upper side) of the basic screen of the touch monitor 203, while the setting panel 350 is displayed on the other side (lower side) of the basic screen of the touch monitor 203. Furthermore, the control device 8 displays the setting panel 350 superimposed on the setting status display icons (icons indicating a setting state different from the first setting state among the vehicle's setting states), excluding the first setting item set by the setting panel 350 (driving mode in the example of Figure 4). Specifically, in this embodiment, the setting panel 350 is superimposed on the lower part of the basic screen and displayed so as to overlap the second setting status display icons (work light icon 305, audio icon 306, wiper icon 307, washer icon 308). However, the control device 8 does not overlay the setting panel 350 on the surveillance video 311 captured by cameras 9a-9c, but instead displays both the surveillance video 311 and the setting panel on the basic screen of the touch monitor 203.

[0047] On the setting panel 350, a setting item 351 set by the setting panel 350, a plurality of selectable status icons 352, 353 for said setting item, a close button 354 and the like are displayed. Further, among the status icons 352 and 353, an icon that is in a selected state is provided with an effect 355 for indicating that it is a currently selected state. Although FIG. 4 illustrates a case where the number of the setting item 351 is one, the setting panel 350 may have a specification that allows a plurality of setting items to be set collectively. Further, the setting panel 350 may have a specification in which, by a touch operation such as a swipe on the setting panel 350, the display of the setting panel 350 slides and switches to a display of a different setting item. Further, the setting panel 350 is not limited to status icons, and may be configured using other input interfaces such as a slider, a numeric keypad, or the like in accordance with the properties of the setting items.

[0048] -Control Device- FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the control device 8. Various devices including an operation device, a sensor, and an operating device are connected to the control device 8, and each operating device is controlled by the control device 8 in accordance with an operator's operation and an output of the sensor. The control device 8 has a function of controlling the display of the touch monitor 203.

[0049] The control device 8 includes an operation availability determination unit 401, a lever operation determination unit 402, a camera image acquisition unit 403, a control command value calculation unit 404, a switch operation information acquisition unit 405, a touch operation information acquisition unit 406, an operation processing unit 407, a vehicle body setting management unit 408, and a monitor display control unit 409. These are functions of the control device 8, and may be realized by hardware elements such as an electronic circuit or may be realized by software elements. Each function will be described below.

[0050] The operation availability determination unit 401 detects the position of the shutoff lever 202 and determines whether an operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 is enabled or disabled. The operation availability determination unit 401 determines that a work operation (external appearance operations of the front work device 1A and the vehicle body 1B) is disabled when the shutoff lever 202 is at the lock position, and determines that the work operation is enabled when the shutoff lever 202 is at the unlock position, and outputs the result of the determination.

[0051] The lever operation determination unit 402 determines the operation signal of each operation lever 201a-201d (including buttons 201e-201h) in response to the operation signals from each operation lever 201a-201d and outputs operation information. For example, the operation information for the operation levers 201a-201d is expressed as 0 for the neutral position of the lever, positive or negative for the direction of operation, and 1 to 100 for the amount of operation, with the lever operation amount expressed as a numerical value in the range of -100 to 100 being output. For example, the operation information for buttons 201e-201h is output as 0 if not pressed and 1 if pressed.

[0052] The camera image acquisition unit 403 acquires video signals from cameras 9a-9c, performs image correction and synthesis processing as needed, and outputs the result to the monitor display control unit 409.

[0053] The control command value calculation unit 404 calculates a control command value for the electronic control valve 7 and outputs a control signal based on the operating status of the hydraulic excavator 1 input from the operating status determination unit 401 and the operation information input from the lever operation determination unit 402. The electronic control valve 7 is driven by the control signal derived from the control command value and controls the flow rate of hydraulic fluid supplied to each hydraulic actuator. In addition, the control command value calculation unit 404 also uses setting information related to the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, such as the driving mode, power mode, and attachment type, input from the vehicle body setting management unit 408, in calculating the control command value.

[0054] The control command value calculation unit 404 determines that the hydraulic excavator 1 is in operation if it calculates a control command value that commands the operation of any of the hydraulic actuators, and that the hydraulic excavator 1 is in a non-operational state if it calculates a control command value that does not drive any of the hydraulic actuators, and outputs the determined value to the monitor display control unit 409.

[0055] The switch operation information acquisition unit 405 acquires signals from the jog dial 204 and push buttons 205a-205d and converts these signals into switch operation information. The switch operation information includes, for example, the rotation direction and amount of rotation of the jog dial 204, and the pressing status of each of the push buttons 205a-205d.

[0056] The touch operation information acquisition unit 406 acquires signals from the touch monitor 203 and converts those signals into touch operation information. The touch operation information is, for example, the coordinates on the screen of the touch monitor 203 of the point being touched.

[0057] The operation processing unit 407 outputs operation requests to the monitor display control unit 409 for the display screen of the touch monitor 203 and requests to the vehicle body setting management unit 408 for changes to various settings, based on the operation information of the jog dial 204, push buttons 205a-205d, and touch monitor 203.

[0058] The vehicle body setting management unit 408 stores various pre-prepared setting information for the hydraulic excavator 1 and switches the setting state of each function in response to setting change requests input from the operation processing unit 407. The setting information stored in the vehicle body setting management unit 408 is output to the control command value calculation unit 404, as well as to control units (not shown) that control equipment such as the engine 5, work lights 10a and 10b, wipers 11, and washers 12.

[0059] The monitor display control unit 409 generates display data based on various information input from the operation processing unit 407, the vehicle body setting management unit 408, the camera image acquisition unit 403, the operation feasibility determination unit 401, and the control command value calculation unit 404, outputs the display data to the touch monitor 203, and displays the display screen on the touch monitor 203.

[0060] -Switch Operation- Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the operation processing unit 407 in response to a switch operation. While the control device 8 is powered on, the operation processing unit 407 repeatedly executes the processes shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7, which will be described later.

[0061] First, the operation processing unit 407 obtains the current switch operation information from the switch operation information acquisition unit 405 and the current touch operation information from the touch operation information acquisition unit 406 (step 407a).

[0062] Next, the operation processing unit 407 determines whether a switch operation or a touch operation has occurred (step 407b). If neither a switch operation nor a touch operation has occurred, the operation processing unit 407 returns to step 407a and acquires operation information again.

[0063] On the other hand, if either a switch operation or a touch operation is performed, the operation processing unit 407 determines whether the operation performed was a switch operation based on the operation information acquired in step 407a (step 407c). If the operation is a switch operation, the operation processing unit 407 determines the content of the switch operation (step 407c), and if the operation is a touch operation, it proceeds to step 407A (Figure 7).

[0064] First, if the switch operation is either a rotation of the jog dial 204 or a press of one of the push buttons 205a-205d, the operation processing unit 407 executes processing according to the operation. For example, if the switch operation is a rotation of the jog dial 204, a request to change the target rotational speed of the engine 5 is output to the vehicle setting management unit 408 according to the direction of rotation (step 407e).

[0065] Next, if the switch operation is a press operation of the jog dial 204, the operation processing unit 407 acquires the current display screen information of the touch monitor 203, including the position of the focus 316 (step 407f), and determines the position of the focus 316 (step 407g). If the current display screen is the basic screen and the position of the focus 316 is one of the driving mode icon 302, power mode icon 303, or attachment type icon 304, the operation processing unit 407 outputs a request to change the setting selected by the focus 316 to the vehicle setting management unit 408 (step 407h), and the processing in Figures 6 and 7 ends. If the current display screen is the basic screen and the position of the focus 316 is the menu icon 315, the operation processing unit 407 outputs a request to transition to the menu screen to the monitor display control unit 409 (step 407i), and the processing in Figures 6 and 7 ends. If the current display screen is the menu screen and the focus 316 is located on any icon within that menu screen, the operation processing unit 407 outputs, for example, a screen transition request to the monitor display control unit 409 or various setting change requests to the vehicle setting management unit 408, depending on the position of the focus 316 (step 407j), and completes the processing shown in Figures 6 and 7. In this way, when the jog dial 204 is pressed, different processing is performed depending on the position of the focus 316. Note that under certain conditions, such as when the setting panel 350 is displayed, the focus 316 is not displayed on the touch monitor 203's display screen. In this case, no processing is performed in response to the pressing of the jog dial 204.

[0066] Finally, if the switch operation is a slide operation of the jog dial 204, the operation processing unit 407 outputs a request to change the focus position so that the focus 316 moves in the direction corresponding to the operation direction on the display screen of the touch monitor 203 (step 407k), and the processing in Figures 6 and 7 is completed. For example, if the focus 316 is located on the attachment type icon 304 (Figure 3), the focus 316 moves to the power mode icon 303 in response to a slide operation of the jog dial 204 to the left, and to the menu icon 315 in response to a slide operation to the right.

[0067] As described above, when the first setting state (first setting item) is set using the jog dial 204, the control device 8 directly changes the first setting state (setting of the first setting item) without displaying the setting panel 350 on the touch monitor 203 screen.

[0068] -Touch Operation- Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the operation processing unit 407 in response to a touch operation.

[0069] If it is determined in step 407c of Figure 6 that the operation is a touch operation, the operation processing unit 407 obtains the current display screen information of the touch monitor 203 (step 407A) and determines whether the display screen is the basic screen (step 407B).

[0070] If the displayed screen is a menu screen and not the main screen, the operation processing unit 407 executes a process corresponding to the touch position on the menu screen (step 407C) and completes the processes shown in Figures 6 and 7. The process in step 407C is the same as the process performed in step 407j in response to switch operation, and is, for example, the output of a screen transition request or various setting change requests.

[0071] On the other hand, if the current display screen is the base screen, the operation processing unit 407 determines whether the touch position on the base screen is outside the setting panel 350 (step 407D).

[0072] If the touch position in step 408D is outside the setting panel 350 on the basic screen, the operation processing unit 407 determines the target of the touch operation (step 407E).

[0073] In step 408E, if the touch operation target is a first setting item that directly affects the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 (travel mode icon 302, power mode icon 303, attachment type icon 304), the operation processing unit 407 outputs a display request for the setting panel 350 corresponding to the touched setting item to the monitor display control unit 409 (step 407F), and displays the desired setting panel 350 on the touch monitor 203, thereby ending the process in Figures 6 and 7. For example, if the touch operation target is the travel mode icon 302, the setting panel 350 including the rabbit and turtle status icons 352 and 353 is displayed on the basic screen, as shown in Figure 4.

[0074] In step 408E, if the object of operation is a second setting item (work light icon 305, audio icon 306, wiper icon 307, washer icon 308) that does not directly affect the working operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, the operation processing unit 407 outputs a request to change the setting of the touched second setting item (step 407G) without displaying a setting panel for touch operation to change the second setting state (set the second setting item), changes the setting item, and terminates the process in Figures 6 and 7.

[0075] If the target of the operation in step 408E is the menu icon 315, the operation processing unit 407 outputs a request to transition to the menu screen to the monitor display control unit 409 (step 407H), and displays the menu screen on the touch monitor 203, thereby ending the process shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0076] In step 407D, if it is determined that the touch operation is inside the setting panel 350, the operation processing unit 407 determines whether the target of the touch operation is a status icon (for example, status icons 352 and 353 in Figure 4) (step 407I).

[0077] If the target of the operation in step 407I is a status icon, the operation processing unit 407 outputs a setting change request corresponding to the touched status icon to the vehicle setting management unit 408 (step 407J), and the process in Figures 6 and 7 is terminated.

[0078] If the target of the operation in step 407I is the close button 354 and not the status icon, the operation processing unit 407 outputs a request to the monitor display control unit 409 to hide the settings panel 350 (step 407K), causing the settings panel 350 on the basic screen to close and ending the process in Figures 6 and 7.

[0079] Furthermore, in order to eliminate the need for a touch operation to close the setting panel 350, a process may be added to automatically output a request to hide the setting panel 350 to the monitor display control unit 409 after the output of the setting change request in step 407J.

[0080] Furthermore, although not shown in Figure 7, if, in the determination of the target of the touch operation in steps 407E and 407I, it is determined that the touch operation is an operation that touches an area other than an icon, the operation processing unit 407 terminates the process in Figures 6 and 7 without executing the processing related to the request to the vehicle body setting management unit 408 or the monitor display control unit 409.

[0081] -Display Control of the Setting Panel- Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure for controlling the display / hide of the setting panel by the monitor display control unit 409. Based on various information input from the operation processing unit 407, the vehicle setting management unit 408, the camera image acquisition unit 403, the operation feasibility determination unit 401, and the control command value calculation unit 404, the monitor display control unit 409 generates and outputs a display screen to be displayed on the touch monitor 203. While the control device 8 is powered on, the monitor display control unit 409 repeatedly executes the process shown in Figure 8.

[0082] When control of Figure 8 is started, the monitor display control unit 409 first determines whether the setting panel 350 is currently displayed on the touch monitor 203 (step 409a).

[0083] If the settings panel 350 is not displayed, the monitor display control unit 409 receives a screen operation request from the operation processing unit 407 (step 409b) and determines whether there is a request to display the settings panel 350 (step 409c). If there is no request to display the settings panel 350, the monitor display control unit 409 continues to keep the settings panel 350 hidden (step 409d) and finishes the process shown in Figure 8.

[0084] If it is determined in step 409c that there is a request to display the setting panel 350, the monitor display control unit 409 executes the process of displaying the setting panel 350 (step 409e), stores the start time of the setting panel 350 display (current time) in the setting panel display start time storage unit 409g (memory) in order to measure the duration for which the setting panel 350 is displayed (step 409f), and ends the process shown in Figure 8.

[0085] If it is determined in step 409a that the setting panel 350 is displayed, the monitor display control unit 409 compares the display start time of the setting panel 350 stored in the setting panel display start time storage unit 409g with the current time in step 409f to determine if a predetermined time has elapsed since the display of the currently displayed setting panel 350 began (step 409h). If the display of the current setting panel 350 continues for a predetermined time or longer, the monitor display control unit 409 executes a process to hide the setting panel 350 (step 409i) and completes the process shown in Figure 8. In this way, the control device 8 hides the setting panel 350 if the setting panel 350 has been displayed on the touch monitor 203 for a predetermined time.

[0086] The predetermined time determined in step 409h is the necessary and sufficient time required for setting operations using the setting panel 350, and is a pre-set time. For example, in the case of the setting panel 350 for switching driving modes as shown in Figure 4, since there are only two options, the predetermined time is set to about 10 seconds. For more complex setting items, the predetermined time may be set to an even longer time, or the automatic hiding control of the setting panel 350 based on the continuous display time may be omitted, and the length of the predetermined time and whether or not automatic hiding is applied may be changed depending on the setting item.

[0087] If, in step 409h, a predetermined amount of time has not yet elapsed since the current setting panel 350 was displayed, the monitor display control unit 409 obtains information on the operational status of the hydraulic excavator 1 from the operational status determination unit 401 and stores it in the operational status storage unit 409k (memory) of the control device 8 (step 409j). The monitor display control unit 409 then determines whether, in the current processing cycle, the operation by the operating levers 201a-201d has been switched from an invalid state to an enabled state by the shut-off lever 202, that is, whether the shut-off lever 202 has been switched from the locked position to the unlocked position (step 409l). The operation status storage unit 409k stores information about the operation status of the hydraulic excavator 1 when step 409l was executed last time. In step 409l, the monitor display control unit 409 compares the operation status at the time of the previous execution of step 409l with the operation status at the time of the current execution of step 409l to determine whether the hydraulic excavator 1 has changed from an inoperable state to an operable state.

[0088] If it is determined in step 409l that the hydraulic excavator 1 has changed from an inoperable state to an operable state, the monitor display control unit 409 executes a process to hide the setting panel 350 (step 409i) and completes the process in Figure 8. In this way, the control device 8 hides the setting panel 350 if the setting panel 350 has been displayed on the touch monitor 203 for a predetermined period of time. Thus, the control device 8 determines whether the operation of the operating levers 201a-201d is enabled or disabled, and if the setting panel 350 is displayed on the touch monitor 203 and the vehicle body 1B and front work device 1A switch from an inoperable state to an operable state based on the operation status of the shut-off lever 202, it automatically hides the displayed setting panel 350.

[0089] If the determination in step 409l is not met (i.e., the operation is disabled, or the operation has been enabled continuously since the previous execution of step 409l), the monitor display control unit 409 obtains the current vehicle operating state from the control command value calculation unit 404 and stores it in the operating state storage unit 409n (memory) of the control device 8 (step 409m). The monitor display control unit 409 also determines whether the hydraulic excavator 1 has changed from a non-operating state to an operating state based on the obtained current vehicle operating state (step 409o). The operating state storage unit 409n holds information on the operating state of the hydraulic excavator 1 when step 409o was executed last time, and in step 409o, the monitor display control unit 409 compares the operating state at the time of the previous execution of step 409o with the operating state at the time of the current execution of step 4090 to determine whether the hydraulic excavator 1 has changed from a non-operating state to an operating state.

[0090] If it is determined in step 409o that the hydraulic excavator 1 has changed from a non-operating state to an operating state, the monitor display control unit 409 executes a process to hide the setting panel 350 (step 409i) and ends the process shown in Figure 8. In this way, the control device 8 hides the displayed setting panel 350 when the setting panel 350 is displayed on the touch monitor 203 and at least one of the vehicle body 1B and the front work device 1A switches from a stopped state to an operating state based on the operation signals from the operation levers 201a-201d (i.e., at least one of the operation levers 201a-201d is operated).

[0091] If the condition in step 409o is not met, the monitor display control unit 409 receives a screen operation request from the operation processing unit 407 (step 409p) and determines whether there was a request to hide the setting panel 350 (whether there was an operation to close the setting panel 350) (step 409q). If there was an operation to close the setting panel 350, the monitor display control unit 409 executes the process to hide the setting panel 350 (step 409i) and finishes the process in Figure 8. If there is no operation to close the setting panel 350, the monitor display control unit 409 continues to display the setting panel 350 (step 409r) and finishes the process in Figure 8.

[0092] The control device 8 repeatedly performs the above processing using the monitor display control unit 409, determines whether to display or hide the setting panel 350, and outputs the display data of the display screen generated based on various information to the touch monitor 203.

[0093] Even after the setting panel 350 is automatically hidden because any of the conditions in steps 409h, 409l, or 409o are met, the control device 8 repeatedly executes the process shown in Figure 8. Therefore, when a touch operation is performed on the first setting status display icon, the setting panel 350 for the first setting item is displayed on the touch monitor 203 screen. For example, after releasing the interlock with the shut-off lever 202, if it is necessary to readjust the settings for the first setting item or change the settings for other first setting items before starting operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, the setting panel 350 can be quickly called up and the setting operation performed.

[0094] -Example of touch operation for the first setting item- Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of an example of touch operation for the first setting item. Figure 9 explains the case of changing the power mode setting as an example of setting operation for the first setting item.

[0095] As shown in Figure 9(a), by touching the power mode icon 303 on the basic screen 900 displayed on the touch monitor 203, the operation processing unit 407 executes the process in step 407F (Figure 7), and the monitor display control unit 409 executes the process in step 409e (Figure 8). As a result, the setting panel 901 for setting the power mode is displayed at the bottom of the basic screen 900, as shown in Figure 9(b).

[0096] The setting panel 901 displays selectable status icons 902 and 903 for the power mode. Status icon 902 is the PWR mode icon, and status icon 903 is the ECO mode icon. Figure 9(b) shows the state where PWR mode is currently applied, and the PWR mode icon 902 has an effect 904 applied to it.

[0097] To change the power mode setting from the current PWR mode to ECO mode, a touch operation is performed on the ECO mode icon (status icon 903) as shown in Figure 9(b). When the ECO mode icon is touched, the operation processing unit 407 executes the process in step 407h (Figure 6), and a request to change to ECO mode is output to the vehicle setting management unit 408. As a result of changing the power mode setting in accordance with this change request, the effect 904 moves to the ECO mode icon as shown in Figure 9(c).

[0098] -Example of touch operation for the second setting item- Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of touch operation for the second setting item. Figure 10 explains the case of changing the operating state of the wiper 11 as an example of setting operation for the second setting item.

[0099] As shown in Figure 10(a), when the wiper icon 307 displayed at the bottom of the basic screen 900 shown on the touch monitor 203 is touched, the operation processing unit 407 executes the process of step 407G (Figure 7), and a request to change the wiper 11 setting is output to the vehicle setting management unit 408. As a result, when the setting state of the wiper 11 is switched, the display of the wiper icon 307 changes as shown in Figure 10(b) (the segment display increases from 1 to 2). When the wiper icon 307 is touched again, the same process is performed again, and the display of the wiper icon 307 changes as shown in Figure 10(c) (the segment display increases from 2 to 3).

[0100] -Example of switch operation- Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of an example of switch operation. In Figure 11, in contrast to the example in Figure 9, the case in which the power mode setting state is changed by operating a switch is explained.

[0101] Figure 11(a) shows the state where the focus 316 is positioned at the driving mode icon 302 on the basic screen 900. The power mode icon 303 is displaying the PWR mode.

[0102] At this time, when the jog dial 204 is slid to the right, the operation processing unit 407 executes step 407k (Figure 6), and a request to change the focus position to the right is output. As a result, as shown in Figure 11(b), the focus 316 moves to the power mode icon 303.

[0103] Furthermore, when the jog dial 204 is pressed while the focus 316 is positioned at the power mode icon 303, the process in step 407h (Figure 6) of the operation processing unit 407 is executed, and a request to change the power mode setting is directly output to the vehicle setting management unit 408 without the setting panel 350 being displayed. As a result, when the power mode setting state is switched, the display of the power mode icon 303 switches to ECO mode, as shown in Figure 11(c).

[0104] - Effects - (1) In this embodiment, when a touch operation is performed on the first setting status display icon relating to the first setting item, the setting panel for the first setting item (for example, setting panels 350, 901) is displayed on the screen of the touch monitor 203. Therefore, even if the screen of the touch monitor 203 is accidentally touched, the setting of the first setting item will not be immediately changed by a single erroneous operation. Furthermore, since the first setting status display icon, which displays the setting status of the first setting item, which is one of the pieces of information that should be displayed during operation, also serves as an icon for calling up the setting panel, the display screen of the touch monitor 203 is simpler and the display area is not compressed compared to when a dedicated icon for calling up the setting panel is used, and the necessary information can be displayed in a larger size and is easier to grasp. Moreover, since the setting panel is displayed by the natural operation of touching the first setting status display icon whose setting you want to change, the operation of changing the setting of the first setting item is easy to understand, and it is a major advantage that it can be operated intuitively without having to remember complex operating procedures.

[0105] As described above, this embodiment suppresses a decrease in the visibility of necessary information on the touch monitor 203 screen and makes setting changes via touch operation easier to understand. Furthermore, it can be expected to suppress errors in the touch monitor 203. By setting items that directly affect the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, such as the travel mode and power mode, as the first setting items, it is possible to suppress unintended changes in the operating speed of the hydraulic excavator, etc.

[0106] (2) When a touch operation is performed on the second setting status display icon for the second setting item, the setting screen for the second setting item is not displayed, and the setting of the second setting item is changed directly. By enabling direct and quick setting changes for the second setting item, work efficiency can be improved. For example, by making items that do not directly affect the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, such as the operation of work lights 10a and 10b or wiper 11, the effort required to set these second setting items can be reduced.

[0107] However, even if a setting item does not directly affect the operation of hydraulic excavator 1, if the setting is complex and it is difficult to perform the setting operation simply by touching the setting status display icon, it may be classified as a first setting item and set via the setting panel.

[0108] (3) Preferably, the settings panel is displayed at a distance from the first setting status display icon. In this embodiment, the first setting status display icon is displayed on one side (upper side) of the touch monitor 203 screen, and the settings panel is displayed on the other side (lower side) of the screen. Therefore, even if the user accidentally touches the vicinity of the first setting status display icon multiple times, the settings panel is displayed at a distance from the first setting status display icon, thus preventing accidental changes to the settings of the first setting item.

[0109] (4) Furthermore, when the setting panel is displayed overlaid on the setting status display icons (second setting status display icons such as the work light icon 305 in the example of Figure 4), as in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress unintended operations on items other than the setting item being set.

[0110] (5) Furthermore, if the setting panel displayed on the touch monitor 203 is set to automatically disappear when the interlock by the shut-off lever 202 is released (i.e., when the hydraulic excavator 1 is ready to be operated), then the information that should be displayed during operation can be automatically displayed in a highly visible manner when the operator starts working with the hydraulic excavator 1, allowing the operator to efficiently begin working with the hydraulic excavator 1, such as excavation. In addition, by automatically hiding any unnecessary setting panels that the operator has forgotten to close, the operator can avoid the trouble of operating the screen when they notice that they have forgotten to close a panel, and can also prevent them from accidentally touching the setting panel.

[0111] (6) The setting panel can be recalled by touching the first setting status display icon, even immediately after it has been automatically hidden following the release of the interlock by the shut-off lever 202. For example, after releasing the interlock by the shut-off lever 202, if it is necessary to readjust the settings of the first setting item or change the settings of other first setting items before starting operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, the setting panel 350 can be immediately recalled to easily perform the setting operation.

[0112] (7) Even if the setting panel displayed on the touch monitor 203 is configured to close automatically when at least one of the body 1B and the front work device 1A of the hydraulic excavator 1 starts moving, the operator can automatically display information that should be shown during operation in a highly visible manner when the operator starts working with the hydraulic excavator 1, and can efficiently begin working with the hydraulic excavator 1, such as excavation.

[0113] (8) Furthermore, if the setting panel remains displayed on the touch monitor 203 for a predetermined period of time and then closes automatically, an operator who notices that they have forgotten to close the setting panel 350 can avoid the trouble of having to close the setting panel 350 themselves. In addition, the setting panel remains displayed, which can prevent accidental touches and unintended setting changes.

[0114] (9) Furthermore, when the setting operation for the first setting item is performed by operating a switch, the setting of the first setting item is changed directly without the setting panel being displayed on the touch monitor 203 screen. Thus, in this embodiment, when setting by operating a switch, even if the first setting item directly affects the working operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, the setting can be switched without displaying the setting panel 350. In the case of a physical switch such as the jog dial 204, a confirmation operation is not performed unless a certain amount of force is applied, so unlike touch operation, where an operation can be accepted simply by accidentally touching the screen, the possibility of erroneous operation is low. For this reason, by enabling setting operations by operating a switch, and by enabling setting operations for the first setting item without going through the setting panel 350 when using a switch, the first setting item can be set efficiently.

[0115] (10) Furthermore, since the first setting status display icon, which displays the setting status of the first setting item, one of the pieces of information that should be displayed during operation, also serves as the icon for calling up the setting panel, the display screen of the touch monitor 203 is simpler and the display area is not compressed, allowing for a wider display area for necessary information compared to the case where a dedicated icon for calling up the setting panel is used. For this reason, the setting panel can be displayed on the basic screen together with the monitoring video 311 without being overlaid on the monitoring video 311. When the setting panel is displayed on the touch monitor 203 screen together with the monitoring video 311 in this way, the operator can keep track of the surrounding situation in real time even while operating the setting of the first setting item.

[0116] -Additional Note- The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and may include various modifications. For example, the present invention is not necessarily limited to a configuration having all the components described in each of the embodiments above. For example, it is possible to delete some of the components of the embodiments or add other components.

[0117] For example, although the above embodiment describes the case where the settings panel is operated by touch, the settings panel may also be operated by switches. Furthermore, the settings panel may be displayed even when the switches are being operated.

[0118] 1...Hydraulic excavator (working machine), 1A...Front working device, 1B...Vehicle body, 8...Control device, 9a-9c...Camera, 201a-201c...Operating lever, 202...Shut-off lever (locking device), 203...Touch monitor, 204...Jog dial (screen operation device), 205a-205d...Push button (screen operation device), 301...Engine rotation speed icon (first setting status display icon), 302...Driving mode icon (first setting status display icon), 303...Power mode icon (first setting status display icon), 304...Attachment type icon (first setting status display icon), 305...Work light icon (second setting status display icon), 306...Audio icon (second setting status display icon), 307...Wiper icon (second setting status display icon), 308...Washer icon (second setting status display icon), 311...Surveillance video, 350...Setting panel, 901...Setting panel

Claims

1. A work machine comprising a vehicle body having a front work device, a touch monitor which is an input / output device capable of screen display and touch operation, and a control device which controls the display of the touch monitor, wherein the control device, when a first setting state display icon indicating a first setting state among the setting states of the vehicle body is displayed on the touch monitor, displays a setting panel for touch operation on the screen of the touch monitor which changes the first setting state by touch operation.

2. The work machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the first setting state is a state relating to the work operation of the vehicle body or the front work device.

3. A work machine according to claim 2, wherein the setting state of the vehicle body includes a second setting state that is different from a first setting state which is a setting state relating to the work operation of the vehicle body or the front work device, and the control device changes the second setting state without displaying a setting panel for touch operation on the screen of the touch monitor when a touch operation is performed on the second setting state display icon that indicates the second setting state displayed on the touch monitor.

4. The work machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the second setting state is a state indicating at least one operating state or stopped state of the work light, audio, wiper, and washer.

5. The work machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device displays the setting panel at a position away from the first setting status display icon on the touch monitor screen.

6. The work machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the control device displays the first setting status display icon on one side of the touch monitor screen and the setting panel on the other side of the touch monitor screen.

7. The work machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the control device displays the setting panel superimposed on an icon indicating a setting state different from the first setting state among the setting states of the vehicle body.

8. A work machine according to claim 1, comprising: an operating lever for operating the vehicle body and the front work device; and a locking device for setting the operation of the operating lever to be enabled or disabled, wherein the control device automatically hides the setting panel that was displayed when the operation of the operating lever is switched from an disabled state to an enabled state by the locking device.

9. The work machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the control device displays the setting panel on the touch monitor screen when a touch operation is performed on the first setting status display icon, even after the setting panel has been automatically hidden.

10. A work machine according to claim 1, comprising an operating lever for operating the vehicle body and the front work device, wherein the control device hides the setting panel that was displayed when the operating lever is operated.

11. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the control device hides the setting panel when the setting panel remains displayed on the touch monitor for a predetermined period of time.

12. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to the touch monitor, it is equipped with a screen operation device that receives an operation to set the first setting state, and the control device changes the first setting state without displaying the setting panel on the screen of the touch monitor when the operation to set the first setting state is performed by the screen operation device.

13. A work machine according to claim 1, wherein it is equipped with a camera for capturing surveillance images of the area around the vehicle body, and the control device causes the setting panel to be displayed on the screen of the touch monitor together with the surveillance images captured by the camera.

Images