Transport Vehicle Traveling Stop Control via Torque Threshold

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies for stopping transport vehicles at bunds in mining fields fail when sensors used for contact judgment fail, leading to potential accidents.

Innovation Solution

A traveling stop control device that uses a torque command valve setting module, a threshold value setting module, and a traveling stop determination module to determine when to stop the vehicle based on target and actual vehicle speeds, independent of external sensors, by setting an upper limit threshold value for the torque command value and determining stop conditions when the actual speed approaches zero.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If force detection sensors are used to detect contact with bund, then contact detection capability is improved, but system reliability deteriorates when sensors fail

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact detection capabilityVSAvoidsystem reliability when sensors fail
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces torque command values and vehicle speed as intermediary parameters to indirectly detect bund contact. Instead of relying directly on force detection sensors, the system uses the torque command from the traveling drive device and actual vehicle speed to infer contact state, thereby maintaining reliability when sensors fail.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical sensor-based detection system with a control-system-based detection method. By substituting force detection sensors with analysis of torque command values and speed data from existing control systems, the invention eliminates dependency on external sensors while maintaining detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If external sensors are used for contact judgment, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes existing vehicle control components serve multiple functions. The traveling drive device's torque command system, originally designed for speed control, is also used for bund contact detection. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated external sensors, reducing device complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle's own control system serves the dual purpose of both controlling vehicle movement and detecting bund contact. By using internally generated torque command values and speed data, the system performs self-diagnosis without requiring external sensing equipment, thereby simplifying the overall device architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3000670B1Transport vehicle with a traveling stop control device
Publication Date: 2017.08.16 HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO LTD
  • EP3000670B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3000670B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3000670B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

To stop a transport vehicle when the transport vehicle is brought into contact with a bund even where a sensor used for contact judgment is not employed or falls in failure. A traveling stop control device for a transport vehicle includes: a torque command value setting module 502 that sets a torque command value for the transport vehicle based on a target speed and an actual speed of the transport vehicle; a threshold value setting module 503 that sets an upper limit threshold value for the torque command value based on information regarding the state of the transport vehicle; and a traveling stop determination module 504 that determines the traveling stop of the transport vehicle. The traveling stop determination module 504 determines the traveling stop of the transfer vehicle on condition that the torque command value exceeds the upper limit threshold value and that the actual speed of the transport vehicle is zero or close to zero.