Excavator Counterweight Cable Routing for Damage and Noise Shielding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric hydraulic excavators face issues with power feeding cables being damaged due to contact with obstacles or flying objects, and generate electrical noise that can interfere with surrounding electric devices, necessitating additional shielding components.

Innovation Solution

The power feeding cable is inserted through a cable insertion hole in a rigid counterweight, which protects the cable from damage and shields it from electrical noise, reducing the need for additional shielding members.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the power feeding cable is exposed and routed externally, then installation is simple, but the cable is vulnerable to damage from obstacles and flying objects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable installation simplicityVSAvoidcable damage resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The power feeding cable is nested within the counterweight structure by routing it through a cable insertion hole formed in the counterweight. This protects the cable from external damage while maintaining a clean integrated appearance, resolving the contradiction between simple installation and damage resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If additional shielding members are added around the power feeding cable, then electrical noise shielding improves, but device complexity and component count increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical noise interferenceVSAvoidshielding component count
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The counterweight serves multiple functions: it provides ballast weight for the excavator and simultaneously acts as a shielding structure for the power feeding cable. By routing the cable through the counterweight, the same structural component provides both mechanical support and electrical noise shielding, eliminating the need for separate shielding members and reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3940149B1Electric construction machine
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY TIERRA CO LTD
  • EP3940149B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3940149B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3940149B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electric hydraulic excavator (1) includes an automotive lower traveling structure (2) and an upper revolving structure (3) mounted on the lower traveling structure (2) to be capable of revolving thereto. The upper revolving structure (3) includes a revolving frame (5) as a base, a counterweight (13) disposed on a rear side of the revolving frame (5), and an electric power source (9) that is positioned on a front side of the counterweight (13) to be mounted on the revolving frame (5) and is power-fed from an external electric current source. The counterweight (13) is provided with a cable insertion hole (16) as disposed therein. A power feeding cable (12) is inserted in the cable insertion hole (16) for connection between the external electric current source and the electric power source (9) .