Excavator Attitude Warning Control on Sloping Ground

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Shovels become unstable on sloping ground, increasing the risk of tipping, and current safety measures rely heavily on operator awareness and education, which is insufficient for ensuring safe operation.

Innovation Solution

A shovel equipped with a warning output system that alerts operators of unstable attitudes and restricts movement when on sloping ground, using sensors to detect inclination and attitude, and a control system to stabilize the shovel and ensure safe operation by teaching stable attitudes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the shovel operates on sloping ground without additional safety systems, then the device complexity remains low, but the stability and safety of operation deteriorate due to tipping risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The warning output part provides advance warning to the operator before tipping occurs by detecting unstable attitudes through sensors. This preliminary alert allows the operator to take corrective action, preventing the harmful effect of tipping while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the shovel's attitude using inclination sensors and provides real-time feedback through the warning output part when unstable conditions are detected. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enhances safety by enabling continuous monitoring and immediate operator response without requiring complex active control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If safety relies on operator awareness and education, then the device complexity remains low, but the reliability of safe operation deteriorates due to human error

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces reliance on human awareness with automated sensor-based monitoring that provides objective, consistent feedback about stable and unstable attitudes. This eliminates human error in hazard detection while maintaining simple system architecture through direct sensor-to-warning output connectivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The shovel system monitors its own stability conditions independently through integrated sensors and automatically generates warnings without requiring external monitoring or human judgment. This self-service capability enhances reliability by making safety independent of operator vigilance while adding minimal system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Stability of the object's composition

If the shovel allows free movement on sloping ground, then the ease of operation remains high, but the stability deteriorates due to increased tipping risk

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides preliminary warning before tipping occurs by detecting unstable attitudes in advance. This allows the operator to voluntarily adjust positioning or attachment orientation to achieve stable operation, maintaining ease of operation while preventing tipping through informed operator decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The warning output part serves as an intermediary between the sensor-detected unstable attitude and the operator's control actions. It translates complex stability data into simple warning signals that guide operator behavior without restricting operational freedom, thus maintaining ease of operation while improving stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3680399B1excavator
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 SUMITOMO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY
  • EP3680399B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3680399B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3680399B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A shovel that can prevent tipping in a downward direction on sloping ground is provided. For this, a shovel according to an embodiment of the present invention, which includes the traveling body 1, the turning body 3 turnably mounted on the traveling body 1, and an attachment attached to the turning body 3 and including the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, further includes an attitude stabilization processing part 303 that outputs a warning about an operation of at least one of the traveling body 1, the turning body 3, and the attachment when the shovel is on sloping ground or is likely to enter sloping ground.