Excavator Camera Interlock for Accidental Hydraulic Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators may inadvertently move hydraulic actuators on shovels due to accidental operation during suspension, as they forget to lock the gate lock lever, leading to potential safety hazards and equipment misuse.
Innovation Solution
A shovel equipped with a control device that detects objects within a predetermined area using cameras or sensors, disabling the hydraulic actuator if an object is present, even if the gate lock lever is in an unlocked state, to prevent unintended movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the gate lock lever is used to switch between enabled and disabled states, then the operator can control the hydraulic actuator operation, but the operator may forget to lock the lever during suspension leading to accidental operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical gate lock lever system with an electronic control system. The control device receives signals from the object detector and automatically controls the hydraulic actuator, substituting manual mechanical locking with automated electronic control based on detected conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device acts as an intermediary between the object detector and the hydraulic actuator. It processes detection results and automatically adjusts the actuator state, serving as a mediator that eliminates the need for manual gate lock lever operation and prevents accidental activation.
2Productivity
If the operating apparatus remains enabled during suspension, then the operator can quickly resume operation, but hydraulic actuators may move unintentionally due to inadvertent lever movement
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary action by automatically disabling the hydraulic actuator based on detected conditions before the operator can accidentally operate it. The system proactively prevents potential harmful actions rather than reacting after they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through the object detector that continuously monitors the environment and provides information to the control device. This feedback loop enables automatic adjustment of the hydraulic actuator state based on real-time detection, preventing unintended movement while allowing quick resumption when safe.
3Reliability
If an object detector is added to automatically disable the operating apparatus, then accidental operation is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device serves multiple functions: it processes signals from the gate lock lever, receives input from the object detector, and controls the hydraulic actuator state. By making the control device multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Abstract] A shovel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an operating apparatus (26) for operating a hydraulic actuator, a camera (S1) configured to detect an object within a predetermined area set around the shovel, a gate lock lever (D1) configured to switch the operating apparatus (26) between an enabled state and a disabled state, and a controller (30) configured to switch the operating apparatus (26) between the enabled state and the disabled state separately from the gate lock lever (D1). The controller (30) is configured to disable the operating apparatus (26) in response to determining that the object is present within the predetermined area based on the output of the camera (S1) while the operating apparatus (26) is switched to the enabled state by the gate lock lever (D1), during the standby state of the shovel.