Excavator Attachment Slip Suppression via Sensor Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Excavators experience slip issues during operations in brittle or low-friction environments, leading to reduced work efficiency and potential slips caused by inexperienced operators, as existing technologies focus on slip prevention for turning and running rather than attachment operations.

Innovation Solution

An excavator equipped with sensors, including acceleration and angular speed sensors, to detect slip in the extension direction of the attachment, with a slip suppression unit that generates correction commands to adjust the attachment's operation, reducing torque and cylinder pressure to prevent slip without operator intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the operator manually controls the attachment operation to prevent slip, then slip prevention may be achieved, but work efficiency is reduced and inexperienced operators may still cause slips

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveslip preventionVSAvoidwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by automatically detecting slip conditions through sensors and executing correction operations without operator intervention. The slip suppression unit autonomously adjusts attachment operations based on sensor data, allowing the excavator to prevent slips independently while maintaining normal work efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring attachment operation forces and slip conditions through sensors, comparing detected values against thresholds, and automatically issuing correction commands when slip is detected. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures reliable slip prevention while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the operator stops attachment operation to prevent slip, then slip can be avoided, but work efficiency is significantly reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveslip preventionVSAvoidwork time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes preliminary action by continuously monitoring slip conditions through sensors before actual slip occurs. The slip suppression unit detects potential slip conditions in advance and executes correction operations proactively, preventing slip before it happens and avoiding work interruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies dynamic control by continuously adjusting attachment operations in real-time based on detected slip conditions. Rather than stopping operations, the system dynamically modifies operation parameters to prevent slip while maintaining continuous work flow, thus avoiding time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If slip prevention is left to operator manipulation based on experience, then experienced operators can prevent slips, but inexperienced operators are likely to cause slips

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveslip preventionVSAvoidoperator skill dependency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical dependency on operator skill and experience with an automated sensor-based detection and control system. The slip suppression unit uses sensors to objectively detect slip conditions and automatically executes correction operations, eliminating the need for operator judgment and making slip prevention effective regardless of operator experience level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 effectively suppresses slip during attachment operations by directly detecting and correcting for slip, improving work efficiency and reducing the risk of slips, even in inexperienced operators, by quickly responding to slip conditions without delaying detection.

Implementation Method 1

a sensor which includes an acceleration sensor and detects a motion of at least one of the traveling body, the upper turning body, and the attachment of the excavator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcceleration detection: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentEP3392415B1Shovel and control method for same
Publication Date: 2023.07.12 SUMITOMO HEAVY IND LTD
  • EP3392415B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3392415B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3392415B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

An attachment 12 is attached to an upper turning body. During a normal operation, a drive means 502 drives the attachment 12 according to an input of an operator to a manipulation device 26. A sensor 504 detects a motion of an excavator. Based on an output of the sensor 504, the slip suppression unit 510 detects slip of a traveling body in an extension direction of the attachment 12 and corrects an operation of the attachment 12 performed by the drive means 502.