Construction Machine Control Lever One-Handed Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional control lever devices for construction machines, such as hydraulic excavators, require both hands to adjust the height of left and right control lever devices sequentially, leading to prolonged working time and difficulty in synchronizing adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A control lever device design featuring left and right consoles that can swing in an upper-lower direction, with a lock mechanism and lock release lever allowing one-handed height adjustments, and a hand hold part to facilitate console movement, enabling simultaneous one-handed adjustments of both devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If both hands are required to control the adjusting lever and swinging movement of the console for height adjustment, then the console can be adjusted to an appropriate height position, but the working time for adjustment becomes long
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting lever is designed to automatically return to its original position after releasing the lock mechanism, eliminating the need for the operator to manually return it. This self-service feature reduces the number of manual operations required, allowing height adjustment with one hand and significantly reducing adjustment working time while maintaining precise positioning capability
2Manufacturing precision
If height adjustments of left and right control lever devices are performed one by one, then each device can be adjusted to the operator's seat, but it is difficult to adjust one of the height positions to the other and working time becomes long
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting levers for left and right control lever devices are merged into a single integrated mechanism. When the operator operates one adjusting lever, both lock mechanisms are simultaneously released, allowing both consoles to be adjusted together. This combining of adjustment operations enables synchronized height positioning of both devices and dramatically reduces adjustment working time compared to sequential adjustment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for faster and easier height adjustments of both control lever devices, reducing overall working time and improving operational efficiency by enabling one-handed operation.
Implementation Method 1
an urging member that urges the console such that the front side of the console swings toward the upper side
Implementation Method 2
a lock mechanism that is provided in the console to fix the console in an optional position
Data Source
AI summary
A lock mechanism is provided in front of each of left and right consoles to fix the console in an optional position. Each of the lock mechanisms is provided with a lock release lever for selecting a lock state of fixing the console and a lock release state of releasing fixation of the console. Each of the lock release levers is provided to extend outward in a left-right direction from the lock mechanism. The lock state is defined by an inclined posture in which a tip end side of the lock release lever is in an oblique downward direction and the lock release state is defined by a horizontal posture in which the tip end sides of the lock release lever is rotated in an upward direction. A hand hold part is provided in front of each of the consoles and above each of the lock release levers to swing the console in the upper-lower direction in the lock release state.