EP2212755B1

EP2212755B1 - A control lever for operating a machine, a procedure for operating a machine via a control lever and the use of the control lever

Info

Publication number: EP2212755B1
Application number: EP08873360.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kenth Bengtsson; Lotta Grahn
Original assignee: SVAB HYDRAULIK AB
Current assignee: SVAB HYDRAULIK AB
Priority date: 2007-10-08
Filing date: 2008-10-07
Publication date: 2023-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2028-10-07
Also published as: EP2212755A1; EP2212755A4

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention concerns a control lever for operating a construction work vehicle/machine such as, for example, an excavator. The control lever can be most directly likened to a joystick that has proportional operation in two directions. More specifically, the invention concerns a control lever that includes a number of controls arranged so that they can be operated by an operator's fingers. In particular, the invention concerns a control lever that includes displaceable/rotary controls with which a machine's movements can be controlled in proportion to the movement of the relevant control.
The present invention also relates to machines that are operated, in one way or another, by a control lever. The control lever can have a gripping section (a grip) that has various contacts for starting various machine processes. This, for example, is the case in vehicles where a number of functions have been transferred to buttons on the steering wheel. The invention relates more specifically to various types of construction machines, which may be mobile, static or permanent. If, for example, such a machine has a control lever with a grip arranged to receive a human hand, said grip can be provided with various actuating controls that can be actuated by the digits of the human hand.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

A construction work vehicle/machine such as, for example, an excavator comprises an undercarriage, a superstructure and an equipment unit. The undercarriage is usually equipped with wheels or caterpillar tracks. It may also include other operable units such as, for example, a bulldozer blade or, to increase stability, lowerable feet. The superstructure, which is freely rotatable around an axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the undercarriage, includes an engine section and a cab section. The superstructure also supports the equipment unit or the digging equipment that carries out the digging itself. The equipment unit usually includes two links (members) - the boom and the stick - and a tool mount. The boom, the stick and the tool mount are rotatable around their separate axes, which are horizontal to the plane of the undercarriage. The inner end of the boom is journalled in the superstructure. At its outer end, the boom supports the stick, which, at its outer end, supports the tool mount. The tool mount carries a tool such as, for example, a bucket. All parts of the equipment unit and the undercarriage are usually operated by hydraulics, which may be electronically controlled.
In recent times, "triple" or "city" booms have come into use. These have an extra, hydraulically operated articulation where mono booms are bent. Instead of buckets, other types of tools (e.g. scarifiers, asphalt cutters, grapples or pallet forks) can be connected to the tool mount, which is usually hydraulically controlled. In recent times, the retrofitting of harvester heads (e.g. forestry machines) on excavators has become common. The placing of equipment units on tractors, lorries, etc, also occurs.
The fitting of a tilt rotator between the tool mount and the tool is also known. A tilt rotator is an intermediary unit that enables rotation and tilting of the tool. The tilt rotator is operated by hydraulics that can be controlled by one or more control levers in the cab. A tilt rotator is a powerful aid that, besides simplifying and streamlining operations, also improves profitability. Furthermore, it contributes to safer workplaces. In the Scandinavian building and construction industry, the tilt rotator has become a self-evident choice. Nowadays in Scandinavia, almost no excavators and tractor excavators less than 30 tonnes are sold without a tilt rotator. An integrated control system gives, amongst other things, unlimited rotation and tilting up to 45° in two directions. Directly from the cab, control of the tilt rotator and the various work operations can be exercised both simultaneously and rapidly. A tilt rotator can be likened to a wrist between the excavator and the bucket (tool) itself.
A construction work vehicle/machine such as, for example, an excavator is usually operated using feet and hands. In modern construction work vehicles/machines, it has become common to place control levers or joysticks (with which the machine is operated) on the armrests. To control the machine's various parts, control levers may also include buttons or displaceable controls such as rotary wheels. In this connection, certain difficulties have thus far emerged as regards using more digits of the human hand than the thumb only. From US 2005/0034549 (Braud ), a device for interactive control using an operator's hand is previously known. A first object of the device is avoiding cramp spasms in the operator's fingers. The known device comprises a control lever with a saddle-shaped upper part. This is configured to receive the operator's hand in a direction that coincides with the control lever's longitudinal direction. The hand thus grips the control lever from above. The saddle-shaped upper part has three saucer-shaped zones in which the operating controls are arranged. The three zones are arranged for individual manipulation by the thumb, the index finger and the middle finger. Each zone can be provided with both buttons and displaceable controls such as rotary wheels. In the known control lever, these controls are arranged so that they are displaceable in the finger's or the thumb's longitudinal orientation.
EP 1 353 257 A1 discloses a control lever, a related method for controlling a first, second and third movement of a machine using a control lever, a use of said control lever and a use of said method.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to seek ways to provide a method and a device to operate a construction work vehicle/machine, said device being restful for the operator and giving a large number of operating possibilities.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a control lever characterized by the features in the independent claim 1; or by a method characterized by the steps in the independent claim 5.
Advantageous embodiments are set out in dependent claims.
According to the invention the device comprises a control handle with an ergonomically designed grip that provides the hand of the operator to enclose the control lever sideways. The grip has a front side facing the operator and a rear side turned away from the operator. The front side comprises control means manipulable by the thumb of the hand. The rear side comprises control means manipulable by the fingers of the hand. The front side comprises a plurality of manipulable buttons and a front displaceable control means. Similarly, the rear side comprises a plurality of manipulable buttons and a rear displaceable control means. The direction of displacement of both the displaceable control means is arranged acrossing the direction of the control lever. All the control means influence electrical or electronic functions. Such electrical functions may relate to the actuation of a hydraulic valve.
Thanks to the hand's anatomy, the front displaceable control is manipulable by the thumb in a direction across the thumb's longitudinal direction. The rear displaceable control is manipulable by a finger in a direction parallel with the finger's longitudinal direction. The controlling finger is any of the hand's digits other than the thumb. In this way, the control lever's grip can be firmly enclosed in the hand while still leaving the thumb and a number of fingers free for manipulating the controls. The thumb and any finger can thus, simultaneously and individually, manipulate its individual displaceable control while another free finger can control one or more buttons on the rear face.
The displaceable controls include various electrical controls (e.g. sliders, rotary wheels, etc.) that can be displaced and which may or may not have automatic return. Each control generates an analogue or digital signal that is dependent on the control's displacement. In one design, the displaceable control could be a rotary wheel with automatic spring-back to a zero position. The buttons include a variety of switching devices with two or more positions, e.g. spring-return, two-position switches, toggle switches, etc.
The grip is designed to be used by the digits of the human hand. In this way, a grip that can be actuated via as many different controls as possible is achieved. This is a great advantage. The grip can be separate and can be connected to various controls. It can also be shaped for the end of an operating lever. The grip is intended to interact with a construction machine that can have various machine mechanisms of, for example, both the hydraulic and the electrical type. An ordinary excavator has mechanical equipment for raising and lowering a digging bucket. As a rule, these machine movements are effected hydraulically, but can also conceivably be effected electronically. Furthermore, the digging bucket can be turned in various directions around an axis. This can also be effected electrically or hydraulically. The operating lever can be in the cab of a construction machine and the lever's end can have a grip shaped as per the present application. The grip can be made as an integral part of the operating lever, but it can also be made as a separate part and affixed at any suitable point whatsoever.
The idea embodied in the invention also includes the grip being composed of a number of parts that can be moulded in plastic. An inner cavity in the grip is used to house the electronics needed for the control lever's functions and may also contain a microprocessor.
In a first aspect of the invention the object is met by a control lever for operating a machine, said control lever including an ergonomic grip configured to receive an operator's hand in such a way that the hand encloses the grip, the grip including a front face with a number of front controls for manipulation by the operator's thumb and a rear face with a number of rear controls for manipulation by the operator's other digits, one of said front controls comprising a control that is displaceable in a direction across the thumb's longitudinal direction and configured to control a first machine movement. In one design of the invention, the rear controls include a switch which, when pressed by one of the operator's fingers, allows the front displaceable control to control a second machine movement. In another design, one of the rear controls comprises a displaceable control. In yet another design, the displaceable controls comprise rotary wheels with automatic return.
In a second aspect of the invention the object is met by a procedure for operating a machine via a control lever, said control lever including an ergonomic grip configured to receive an operator's hand in such a way that the hand encloses the grip, the grip including a front face with a number of front controls for manipulation by the operator's thumb and a rear face with a number of rear controls for manipulation by the operator's other digits, there being a front displaceable control on the front face, said front displaceable control being displaceable in a direction across the thumb's longitudinal direction, a first machine movement being effected by manipulation of the front displaceable control on the grip's front face. In one design of the invention, the method includes a second machine movement being effected by manipulation of the front displaceable control while a first rear control is pressed on the grip's rear face. In another design of the invention, the method includes a fourth machine movement being effected by manipulation of the front displaceable control while a second rear control is pressed on the grip's rear face.

DETAILS OF THE FIGURES

The invention is explained more closely through design descriptions that refer to the attached drawings set out below.

Fig. 1: is a control lever, as per the invention, including a number of displaceable and depressible controls.
Fig. 2: is a sketch showing a hand resting against the control lever.
Fig. 3: is a sketch showing a hand enclosing the control lever.

DESCRIPTION OF DESIGN EXAMPLES

Figure 1 shows an operating handle for operating construction machines, e.g. excavators. When operating machines, operators want to control many functions simultaneously and to control these functions proportionally (steplessly). The currently available solutions are based on using, for example, operating levers that can be manipulated in the X and Y axes. There are instances of where three functions can be operated simultaneously with each hand. This is frequently insufficient, there being a desire to have more functions that can be operated simultaneously. The present design is equipped with actuating controls that can be pressed or rotated. The example shown here has two rotatable and a number of depressible actuating controls. The actuating controls can be varied and combined in many different ways. The handle also includes circuit boards with, amongst other things, cable connections. This enables the sending of command signals to a control system, which may preferably be electrical or electrohydraulic.
The device as per figure 1 includes a grip 1 with a bottom section 2 configured for connection to a control lever or an operating handle (neither being shown here) as per the invention. The grip includes a front face 3 and a rear face 9 which, when combined, form the grip. In the example in the figure, the front face has a number of controls in the form of push- buttons 4, 5, 6 and 7 and a front displaceable control in the form of a rotary wheel 8. The front face's controls are arranged for manipulation by the operator's thumb. Similarly, in the example in the figure, the rear face has a number of controls in the form of a first push-button 10 and a second push-button 11 as well as a rear displaceable control in the form of a rotary wheel 12.
The grip as per the invention has an ergonomic design and the example shown here is configured for a right-handed operator. Thus, to better accommodate the thumb of the right hand, the upper part of the front face 3 is twisted anticlockwise. To better accommodate the fingers of the right hand, the lower part of the rear face 9 is twisted clockwise. Because the hand grips around and encloses the grip, the thumb and a number of fingers are left free to manipulate the controls even though the hand is simultaneously manipulating the control lever. The front displaceable control is arranged for manipulation by the operator's thumb, the direction of control being across the thumb's longitudinal direction. The rear displaceable control is arranged for manipulation by one of the operator's fingers (suitably the index finger), the direction of control being along the finger's longitudinal direction.
As per the invention, the front rotary wheel controls, for example, a first movement of the construction work vehicle/machine. Via a finger pressing, for example, the first control button on the rear part, the function of the front rotary wheel is changed so that it now controls a second movement of the construction work vehicle/machine. Also as per the invention, by pressing the second control button on the rear part, it is similarly possible to enable the front rotary wheel to control a fourth movement.
Each control is configured to generate an electrical signal to a processor that controls the hydraulic systems, pistons or motors used to operate the construction work vehicle/machine. The signals can be either analogue or digital. Each displaceable control generates a signal that is proportional to the displacement of the control. The displaceable controls are usually rotary wheels that return automatically to a zero position.
The idea embodied in the invention also includes it being possible for the control lever to be used for all types of machines, e.g. aircraft, boats and similar.

Claims

Control lever for operating a machine, said control lever comprises an ergonomic grip (1) configured to receive a hand of an operator such that the hand encloses the grip, the grip including a front part (3) with a plurality of front control means (4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) manipulable by the operator's thumb, and a rear part (9) which front control means comprises a first displaceable control means (8) displaceable in a direction lateral to the longitudinal direction of the thumb and configured to control a first movement of the machine, wherein the rear part (9) comprises a plurality of rear control means (10, 11 and 12) manipulable by the operator's other digits, wherein a first rear control means comprises a first switch (10) which when pressed allows the first displaceable control means (8) to control a second movement of the machine, and a second displaceable control means (12) displaceable in a direction parallel with the longitudinal direction of the finger manipulating it, and configured to control a third movement of the machine simultaneously with the first or second movement of the machine.
Control lever according to claim 1, wherein a second rear control means comprises a second switch (11), which, when pressed by one of the operator's fingers, allows the first displaceable control means (8) to control a fourth movement of the machine.
Control lever according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the displaceable control means comprises rotary wheels (8 and 12) with automatic return.
Control lever according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the grip is composed of a number of parts and comprises an inner cavity containing electronics and a microprocessor needed for the control lever's function.
Method for controlling a first, second and third movement of a machine using a control lever according to any of claims 1 to 4.
Method according claim 5, wherein a fourth machine movement being effected by manipulation of the displaceable front control means (8), but while a second rear control (11) is pressed on the grip's rear part (9).
Use of a control lever according to any of claim 1 to 4, for operation of a construction work vehicle/machine or of an excavator.
Use of a method according to any of claim 5 to 6, for operation of a construction work vehicle/machine or of an excavator.