Excavator Bucket Start Positioning for Changing Target Contours

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing excavation control systems fail to appropriately determine the excavation position in accordance with the changing shape or contour of the excavation target.

Innovation Solution

An excavation position determination system that includes a photographing device and a start position determinator to determine the excavation start position based on detected data, ensuring that a part of the bucket is visible and another part is hidden by the excavation target, using sensors and controllers to adjust the bucket's position and posture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the arm distal end is moved to reach a preset excavation position using conventional excavation control, then the excavation can be executed in determined order, but the system fails to appropriately determine the excavation position in accordance with the changing shape or contour of the excavation target

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexcavation efficiencyVSAvoidadaptability to changing excavation target shape

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously captures images of the excavation target and bucket position, processes this visual feedback data to determine the actual contour shape, and uses this information to dynamically adjust excavation positions. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to changing target shapes while maintaining efficient excavation operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The excavation position determination transitions from static preset positions to dynamic positions that automatically adjust according to the real-time contour shape of the excavation target. The system continuously updates excavation positions based on detected shape changes, making the excavation process adaptive and responsive to varying target geometries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of manufacture

If preset excavation positions are used without considering the actual contour shape, then the excavation control is simple to implement, but the excavation position determination becomes inaccurate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of system implementationVSAvoidexcavation position accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces complex mechanical measurement and positioning systems with visual sensing and image processing. By using cameras and computer vision algorithms to detect contour shapes and determine excavation positions, the system achieves high positioning accuracy while maintaining implementation simplicity and avoiding complex mechanical structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12497751B2Drilling position determination system, drilling control system, and work machine

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 KOBELCO CONSTR MASCH CO LTD

AI summary

An excavation position determination system achieves appropriate determination of an excavation start position in accordance with a shape or contour of an excavation target. The excavation position determination system includes: a photographing device that photographs an excavation target having a mountain shape and a bucket included in a working machine; a start position determinator that determines an excavation start position of the bucket to the excavation target. The start position determinator determines, on the basis of detected data from the photographing device, a position of the bucket where the bucket is not wholly hidden by the excavation target but a part of the excavation target and a part of the bucket overlap each other when the bucket is seen from a machine body of the working machine as the excavation start position.