Boom-Mounted Obstacle Sensing for Crane Vehicle Blind Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crane vehicles have a blind spot on the opposite side of the driver seat due to the crane device's central mounting, making it difficult to detect obstacles in that region, which can lead to unsafe operations.
Innovation Solution
A crane vehicle equipped with sensors that detect obstacles on the blind side and display their distance and position relative to the vehicle, along with color coding for proximity alerts, and optional features like camera views and warning sounds to enhance operator awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the crane device is mounted at the centre of the traveling body and the driver seat is arranged on one side, then the crane device can be centrally positioned for balanced operation, but a blind spot is created on the opposite side where obstacles cannot be sufficiently detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an ultrasonic sensor as an intermediary detection device mounted on the boom to detect obstacles in the blind spot region. The sensor acts as a mediator between the driver and the obscured area, providing detection capability without requiring the driver to have direct visual access to the region
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/visual direct observation with ultrasonic wave-based detection. Instead of relying on the driver's visual field and physical positioning, the system uses ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles and electronically communicates this information to the driver through the display unit
2Reliability
If an ultrasonic sensor is arranged at the front end of the boom to detect obstacles, then obstacle detection range is extended, but the operator cannot easily recognize the position and distance of the obstacle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the blind spot region on the display unit. The detection data from the ultrasonic sensor is transformed into a graphical display showing the position and distance of obstacles, giving the operator a visual copy of the obscured area as if they could see it directly
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the three-dimensional spatial information detected by the ultrasonic sensor into a two-dimensional visual representation on the display unit. This dimensional transformation allows the operator to perceive depth and position information that would otherwise be inaccessible in the blind spot region
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
The system reliably detects and alerts operators to obstacles in the blind spot, improving safety by providing clear visual and auditory cues for obstacle proximity, facilitating safer vehicle movement and operation.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic sensor is arranged at a front end of a boom of a crane device. The ultrasonic sensor irradiates ultrasonic waves forward in the traveling direction of a traveling body, receives a reflected wave reflected by an object to be detected
Data Source
AI summary
A crane vehicle achieves safe movement by reliably detecting an obstacle in a region which is a blind spot from the opposite side of the driver seat across a boom. The crane vehicle includes an obstacle sensor which is a transmission/reception antenna that transmits a detection wave and receives the detection wave reflected from the obstacle. A signal corresponding to the reflected wave received by the obstacle sensor is amplified and input to a controller, which calculates the position and the size of the obstacle on the basis of the signal. The controller generates an obstacle display image and displays the image on a display, the obstacle display image including a vehicle object that represents a crane vehicle and an obstacle object which is an object corresponding to the calculated size of the obstacle and which is disposed at a position corresponding to the calculated position of the obstacle.