Excavator Work Site Detection and Hydraulic Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The workload of a shovel varies depending on the task, leading to suboptimal engine speed and hydraulic pump settings, resulting in inefficient fuel use and insufficient horsepower for the work being performed.
Innovation Solution
A shovel with a determining unit that identifies the type of work site using camera images and controls hydraulic actuators to optimize engine speed and hydraulic pump output based on the determined task, ensuring optimal power distribution for the specific work being done.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the operator selects an operation mode based on work to be performed, then the engine speed and hydraulic pump settings can be optimized, but the operator may not always select the optimum operation mode resulting in suboptimal performance
Solution Approach 1:
The determining unit automatically identifies the work site type and determines the appropriate operation mode without requiring operator selection. The system uses image recognition to detect work site characteristics (such as quarry, scrap material handling, forestry, or urban earthwork) and autonomously selects the optimal operation mode, making the system self-serve rather than relying on operator judgment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual operator selection mechanism with an automated image recognition and determination system. The determining unit uses camera images and image processing to automatically identify work site types and determine operation modes, substituting the mechanical/operator-based selection process with an automated electronic system.
2Power
If the engine speed is increased to ensure sufficient horsepower for all work types, then adequate power is available for any task, but fuel efficiency decreases due to unnecessary engine speed increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation mode and corresponding engine speed settings based on the detected work site type. Instead of maintaining a fixed high engine speed for all conditions, the control system adapts the engine speed and hydraulic pump settings to match the specific work requirements, optimizing the balance between power availability and fuel consumption for each work scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters (engine speed, hydraulic pump flow rate, pressure settings) based on the determined work site type. The system maintains multiple sets of operational parameters corresponding to different work types (quarrying, scrap handling, forestry, urban earthwork) and switches between them dynamically, allowing optimal power delivery while minimizing fuel consumption for each specific task.
Data Source
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AI summary
A shovel includes a lower traveling body (1) that runs, an upper rotating body (3) that is rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body (1), hydraulic actuators (7-9, 20L, 20R, 21) that are operated by hydraulic oil discharged by a hydraulic pump (12L, 12R) driven by an engine (11), a determining unit (32) that determines a type of work, and a control unit (31) that controls the hydraulic actuators (7-9, 20L, 20R, 21) based on the type of work determined by the determining unit (32).