Excavator Bucket Trajectory Control at Construction Plane Bends

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Solution Overview

Problem

Shovels face difficulties in smoothly transitioning from moving along a horizontal plane to a slope due to the absence of consideration for bends in the intended construction plane, leading to inadequate operation at intersections of horizontal and slope planes.

Innovation Solution

A control device is implemented that includes a hydraulic system with advanced control valves and sensors, allowing the shovel to automatically adjust its boom, arm, and bucket positions to align with the intended construction plane, even at bends, by determining the target trajectory based on the intended construction plane data and real-time positional information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the shovel moves the working part of the bucket along a single intended construction plane, then the operation is simple and straightforward, but the shovel cannot appropriately transition at bends where inclination discontinuously changes between two planes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidtransition capability at bends
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The intended construction plane is divided into multiple segments (first intended construction plane and second intended construction plane) connected at a bend point. The control device separately determines target working lines for each segment, allowing the shovel to handle different inclination planes independently while maintaining operational simplicity within each segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control device dynamically switches between different target working lines based on the shovel's position relative to the bend. When approaching a bend, the system transitions from following the first target working line to the second target working line, enabling smooth adaptation to changing plane inclinations while maintaining continuous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If the shovel uses a single target working line for the entire construction plane, then the control system is simple, but the shovel cannot accurately follow the intended construction plane at bends with discontinuous inclination changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidtrajectory accuracy at bends
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control system divides the construction plane into multiple segments with distinct target working lines. Each segment has its own simplified control logic, but the overall system achieves high trajectory accuracy at bends by switching between these segmented control strategies based on position detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control device continuously detects the shovel's position and compares it with the bend position information. Based on this feedback, the system determines whether to follow the first or second target working line, ensuring accurate trajectory tracking at bends while maintaining simple control logic for each individual segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4039887B1Excavator and excavator control device
Publication Date: 2024.05.22 SUMITOMO HEAVY IND LTD
  • EP4039887B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4039887B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4039887B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A technique that makes it possible for a shovel to appropriately move the working part of a bucket along an intended construction plane in the vicinity of a bend of the intended construction plane. The shovel 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the attachment AT including the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 and the controller 30 that moves the attachment AT to move the working part of the bucket 6 along the intended construction plane 600, wherein the regions 610, 620 and 630 between which a control command for the movement of the bucket 6 generated by the controller 30 differs are set in the vicinity of the bend 603 of the intended construction plane 600, 600.