Excavator Counterweight Interlock for Sensor Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing systems for work vehicles, such as excavators, do not effectively monitor the position of counterweights to prevent damage to imaging sensor systems during attachment and removal, leading to potential damage when the counterweight is lowered without ensuring the imaging sensor is disconnected.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using a lever-operated actuator with a controller, user interface, and imaging sensor to transmit signals and provide an interlock mechanism, enabling safe lowering and raising of the counterweight based on the connection status of the imaging sensor, preventing damage by ensuring disconnection before lowering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the counterweight is lowered without monitoring the imaging sensor connection status, then the counterweight removal operation is simplified and faster, but the imaging sensor system may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the imaging sensor connection status before allowing the counterweight lowering operation to proceed. The controller checks whether the imaging sensor is disconnected from the support structure, and only permits lowering when the sensor is confirmed to be disconnected, thereby preventing damage while maintaining operational efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the controller continuously monitors the connection status of the imaging sensor and provides real-time feedback through the user interface. This feedback controls the actuator operation, allowing lowering only when the sensor status indicates it is safe to proceed, thus protecting the imaging sensor system
2Reliability
If the system monitors the imaging sensor connection status and provides interlock control, then the imaging sensor system is protected from damage, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it manages the actuator operation for counterweight movement, monitors the imaging sensor connection status, processes the interlock signal from the user interface, and controls the overall lowering/raising sequence. By consolidating these functions into a single controller, the system achieves reliable imaging sensor protection without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The user interface acts as an intermediary between the operator and the control system. It presents the interlock button status and connection status information to the operator, and transmits commands to the controller. This intermediary simplifies the interaction complexity by providing a standardized interface while maintaining the sophisticated control logic in the background
Data Source
AI summary
A counterweight removal protection system and a method of controlling removal of the counterweight to avoid damage to an imaging sensor system of a work vehicle, such as an excavator. The imaging sensor system includes an imaging sensor supported by the counterweight and configured to transmit an imaging sensor signal to a vehicle controller to determine the state of the imaging sensor signal. A user interface in the work vehicle includes a selectable touch button to enable removal of the counterweight depending on the state of the imaging sensor signal. An interlock device prevents lowering the counterweight based on the state of the imaging sensor signal. In one embodiment, the imaging sensor signal is a heartbeat signal.