Electric Shovel Bucket Rotation Limiting to Prevent Machine Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

The issue with existing construction machines is that the infinitely rotating electric motor can cause the bucket to unintentionally contact other machine components, potentially causing damage.

Innovation Solution

A work machine with a restricting member that limits the rotation range of the working portion, using sensors and a control device to stop the motor when the bucket approaches the limit, preventing contact with other machine parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the electric motor allows infinite rotation to maintain operational flexibility, then the working portion can perform various tasks, but the working portion may unintentionally contact other machine components causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidcontact damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The restricting member is pre-positioned to define the maximum rotation range of the working portion before operation begins. This preliminary structural arrangement prevents the working portion from rotating beyond safe limits and contacting other machine components, thereby resolving the contradiction between operational flexibility and contact damage prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the rotation range of the working portion is limited to prevent contact with other components, then damage is avoided, but the working portion loses rotational freedom

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact damageVSAvoidrotational freedom

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The restricting member creates a dynamic rotation range that allows full rotational freedom within safe boundaries while automatically preventing rotation beyond those boundaries. The working portion can rotate freely within the permitted range to perform various tasks, but the restricting member dynamically intervenes to stop rotation at the predetermined limit, thus balancing rotational freedom with damage prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a restricting member is added to limit rotation and prevent damage, then contact with other components is avoided, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact damageVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The restricting member is designed as a simple, inexpensive mechanical component with a predetermined rotation limit. Rather than using complex electronic sensors, motors, or control systems, the invention employs a straightforward mechanical restriction that is easy to manufacture and replace if needed, thus preventing contact damage while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS20260049458A1Work machine

Publication Date: 2026.02.19 YANMAR HLDG CO LTD

AI summary

An electric shovel as a work machine includes an electric motor, a working portion rotated by the electric motor, and a restricting member that restricts rotation of the working portion.