Excavator Console Box Rotation for Safer Cabin Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing console boxes for excavators are not movable, making it difficult for operators to easily get in or out of the cabin due to their fixed position and large size, and existing safety devices do not adequately address the issue of operator safety during entry and exit.
Innovation Solution
A console box with a safety lever system that can be automatically operated or released based on the excavator's power on/off signal, allowing the console housing to rotate or move to facilitate operator entry and exit, featuring a safety lever motor, gear system, sensors, and a controller to manage the rotational forces and positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the console box is fixed in position, then the structural simplicity is improved, but the ease of operator entry and exit deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The console box incorporates a moving mechanism that allows it to shift position along the operator's seat. This dynamic capability enables the console box to move forward to provide adequate space for operator entry and exit, then move backward to accommodate operation levers, thus improving ease of access without requiring complete structural redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The console box automatically adjusts its position based on the engine's operational state. When the engine is started, the console box moves to the extended position; when the engine is stopped, it retracts. This self-service mechanism reduces the need for manual intervention and maintains structural simplicity while improving operator access.
2Device complexity
If the safety lever is manually operated, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of preventing operation lever malfunction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The safety lever system incorporates sensors that detect the position of the safety lever and provide feedback to the control unit. The control unit processes this information and automatically adjusts the console box position or prevents operation lever activation when the safety lever is not in the correct position, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual safety lever operation is supplemented or replaced by an automated control system that uses sensors and a control unit to monitor and manage the safety lever position. This substitution of mechanical operation with an automated system improves the reliability of preventing operation lever malfunction while maintaining acceptable device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the console box is moved automatically, then the ease of operator entry and exit is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The console box automatically moves based on the engine's operational state without requiring manual control. When the engine is started, the console box moves to the extended position; when the engine is stopped, it retracts to the initial position. This self-service automation improves ease of operator entry and exit while minimizing the need for complex control interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The moving mechanism of the console box serves multiple functions: it provides adequate space for operator entry and exit, accommodates operation levers during operation, and can be integrated with the safety lever system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while improving ease of operation.
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
Enables safe and easy operator access by automatically controlling the safety lever and console housing movements, preventing malfunction and improving operator safety during entry and exit processes.
Implementation Method 1
a lever spring which is engaged to the lever spring fixture of the safety lever gear and the console housing at both ends thereof to supply tension
Implementation Method 2
a pair of first and second sensors which are installed on the outer peripheral surface of the safety lever cam at a certain interval to detect the cam groove of the safety lever cam
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a console box for an excavator to prevent malfunction and to be automatically moved to a designated position.