JP7074548B2 - Sprinkling control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method (or management method) for controlling (or managing) the sprinkling of a civil engineering vehicle having a soil removal plate.

In a civil engineering vehicle (civil engineering machine) that has a soil removal plate (blade) for excavating, transporting, and leveling earth and sand, as typified by a bulldozer, visually check the inside of the soil removal plate from the driver's seat. Often not possible. Therefore, it is not possible to directly determine how much earth and sand is held, and in many cases, it is determined by the experience of the operator.

As a result, inexperienced operators may run without noticing that they do not have earth and sand, which leads to a decrease in work efficiency.

In unmanned heavy machinery such as remote control, it is more difficult to grasp the amount of sediment in the soil removal plate because it is operated from a distance. In addition, when planning the operation of automatic traveling heavy equipment, it is necessary to quantitatively grasp the presence or absence of sediment and the quantity as digital data.

On the other hand, Patent Document 1 describes the following devices.
This is a front monitoring device (TV camera) installed in the front position of the vehicle so that the front of the soil removal plate can be photographed, and an image display device (display) that can display the image taken by the front monitoring device in the driver's cab of the vehicle. It is characterized by being installed in.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-146716

However, although the technique described in Patent Document 1 allows the operator to visually recognize the front of the soil removal plate, the work proceeds based on the operator's judgment to the last. Given that, there was still room for improvement.

The present invention has been made in view of such an actual situation, and it is possible to control the sprinkling work based on the detection result of the earth and sand held by the soil discharge plate so that the automation of the sprinkling work can be promoted. Make it an issue.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is a method for controlling the sprinkling of earth and sand when the earth and sand pile is broken by a civil engineering vehicle having a soil removal plate and the earth and sand are sprinkled in the traveling direction along the planned route. The presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth removal plate is detected during ejection, and when it is detected that the earth and sand has run out, the civil vehicle is stopped running, and the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth and earth plate is detected. Using a sensor attached to the upper part of the soil removal plate via a support bracket and arranged in front of and above the soil removal plate, the soil height from the bottom surface of the soil removal plate is measured, and the measured soil and sand are measured. This is done by determining the presence or absence of earth and sand based on the height.

After stopping the running of the civil engineering vehicle, it is advisable to move the civil engineering vehicle to the next planned route.
Further, it is preferable to memorize the range in which the civil engineering vehicle traveled with the earth and sand (the range in which the civil engineering vehicle traveled while holding the earth and sand) and manage it as a finished product.

According to the present invention, when it is detected that the earth and sand held by the earth removal plate has disappeared during sprinkling, the traveling (advancing) of the civil engineering vehicle is stopped to eliminate unnecessary traveling and improve work efficiency. At the same time, it is possible to prevent falling from the earth and sand mountains.

In addition, after stopping the running of the civil engineering vehicle, the operation of the civil engineering vehicle can be managed by moving the civil engineering vehicle to the next planned route by retreating the civil engineering vehicle.

In addition, by memorizing the range of travel with earth and sand, it is possible to manage the finished product, and based on this, it is possible to improve the operation management of the civil engineering vehicle including grasping the progress of the work.

Front view and side view of the bulldozer used in the embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing when using a distance sensor Explanatory drawing when using a two-dimensional laser scanner Explanatory drawing when using multiple 2D laser scanners Explanatory drawing when using a depth camera capable of acquiring a three-dimensional shape Explanatory drawing when estimating the sediment height from the vehicle load The figure which shows the change of the earth and sand height from the bottom of the earth removal plate at the time of sprinkling Determining empty load at the time of sprinkling → Explanatory drawing of vehicle stop Explanatory drawing of finished product management

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
FIG. 1 is a front view and a side view of a civil engineering vehicle (bulldozer) used in the present embodiment.
The bulldozer 1 is equipped with a soil removal plate (blade) 4 on the front surface of a tractor (vehicle body) 3 traveling by a trackless track 2.

The crawler belt 2 is hung around the front and rear wheels (sprocket) 6 and 6 pivotally supported at the front and rear ends of the support frame 5, and can move forward and backward by its orbital movement.

The lower part of the soil removal plate 4 on the back surface side is pin-connected to the tip of the swing arm 7 swingably attached to the middle portion of the support frame 5.
Further, the upper portion of the soil removal plate 4 on the back surface side is pin-connected to the rod tip of the tilt cylinder 8 which is swingably attached to the intermediate portion of the swing arm 7 and is arranged diagonally upward.

Further, the upper portion of the soil removal plate 4 on the back surface side is pin-connected to the rod tip of the lift cylinder 9 which is swingably attached to the front portion of the tractor 3 and is arranged diagonally downward.
A pair of left and right swing arms 7, a tilt cylinder 8, and a lift cylinder 9 are provided.

Therefore, the soil removal plate 4 can be moved in the vertical direction by the expansion / contraction operation of the lift cylinder 9, and the tilt angle of the soil removal plate 4 can be adjusted by the expansion / contraction operation of the tilt cylinder 8.

The structure on the front side of the soil removal plate 4 varies, but it is basically a concave shape, has a cutting edge at the lower end, and has an enclosure at both left and right edges.

Due to the above structure, the inside of the soil removal plate 4 cannot be directly confirmed by the operator who drives the vehicle inside the tractor 3.

Here, in order to detect the earth and sand (the height of the earth and sand from the bottom surface of the earth removal plate 4) held by the earth removal plate 4, the earth and sand plate 4 is attached to the upper part of the earth removal plate 4 via an appropriate support bracket. The sensor 10 is arranged downward and above the front of the sensor 10. One sensor 10 is arranged in the center in the left-right direction, or a plurality of sensors 10 are arranged in the left-right direction (for example, a total of three sensors in the center and its left and right).

Specific examples of the sensor 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.
In the example of FIG. 2, the distance sensor 11 is used as the sensor 10. As the distance sensor 11, a non-contact type such as a laser type or an ultrasonic type is used.

The distance sensor 11 outputs a signal according to the distance from the distance sensor 11 to the earth and sand held by the earth removal plate 4 (the distance to the ground surface when there is no earth and sand held by the earth removal plate 4). Then, the output value (distance to the earth and sand) of the distance sensor 11 is converted into the earth and sand height H from the bottom surface of the earth and sand removal plate 4 by the circuit built in or external to the distance sensor 11. If there is no earth and sand held by the earth and sand removal plate 4, the earth and sand height H is zero or a negative value.

Therefore, the presence or absence of earth and sand (empty load determination) held by the earth and sand removal plate 4 can be determined by the earth and sand height H detected by the distance sensor 11. It is also possible to estimate the amount of earth and sand (volume of earth and sand) based on the height of earth and sand H, and from the estimated amount of earth and sand, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth removal plate 4 (determination of empty load). You can also do it.

Basically, the distance sensor 11 is oriented so as to detect the position immediately before the soil removal plate 4, but by tilting the distance sensor 11 diagonally forward, it is possible to detect the position further forward. ..

In the example of FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, a two-dimensional laser scanner 12 is used as the sensor 10.
That is, by attaching to the upper part of the earth removal plate 4 via the support bracket, one or more two-dimensional so as to include the earth and sand held by the earth removal plate 4 in the measurement range in front of and above the earth removal plate 4. A laser scanner (laser range finder) 12 is installed.
When a plurality of earth and sand are installed, a method of measuring the earth and sand from the left and right of the earth removal plate 4, a method of measuring from the front and back, and the like can be adopted.

Therefore, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of earth and sand (empty load determination) held by the earth and waste plate 4 based on the earth and sand height and the amount of earth and sand detected and estimated by using the two-dimensional laser scanner 12.

In the example of FIG. 5, a depth camera 13 capable of acquiring a three-dimensional shape is used as the sensor 10.
That is, a sensor capable of acquiring a three-dimensional shape to be photographed in real time, for example, a depth camera 13, is installed at a position where the inside of the soil removal plate 4 can be overlooked and photographed.
As a result, it is possible to acquire the three-dimensional shape of the earth and sand held by the earth and sand plate 4 in real time, and to detect and estimate the height of the earth and sand held by the earth and sand plate 4 and the amount of earth and sand with high accuracy from the overall shape of the earth and sand. can.

Therefore, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of earth and sand (empty load determination) held by the earth and waste plate 4 based on the earth and sand height and the amount of earth and sand detected and estimated by using the depth camera 13.

As with the depth camera 13, a stereo camera may be used as a sensor capable of measuring a three-dimensional shape.

In addition to the above, it is also conceivable to detect the presence or absence of earth and sand by using a camera image as used in Patent Document 1 and determining whether or not the earth and sand removal plate 4 is covered with earth and sand by image processing.

It is also possible to detect and estimate the height of the earth and sand held by the earth removal plate 4 and the amount of the earth and sand based on the load of various actuators of the bulldozer 1.
That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the load applied to the hydraulic motor (not shown) of the wheel (sprocket) 6 for driving the track 2 and the hydraulic cylinders 9 and 8 for lifting and tilting the earth removal plate 4 is applied. It can be detected and the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the soil discharge plate 4 can be determined (empty load determination) based on the load.

Specifically, a pressure sensor is attached to the hydraulic motor or hydraulic cylinder, and the sediment height (sediment amount) is estimated from the difference between the pressure at no load learned in advance and the pressure at the time of pushing soil, and the difference disappears. When it is, it is judged as empty.

Next, the sprinkling control of the unmanned bulldozer 1 will be described.
The unmanned bulldozer 1 knows the position of the earth and sand mountain based on a predetermined operation plan or remote control from a remote monitoring facility, collapses the earth and sand mountain, and sprinkles the earth and sand in the traveling direction along the planned route. Go.

FIG. 7 shows an example of sprinkling control of the bulldozer 1 when a distance sensor is used, and at the same time, shows a change in the sediment height from the bottom surface of the soil discharge plate 4 at the time of sprinkling.
In this example, it is assumed that the bulldozer 1 breaks down the earth and sand pile provided on the ground surface and sprinkles the earth and sand from the ground surface to a height of, for example, 400 mm. Therefore, the sprinkling design height Hs is 400 mm.

As shown in FIG. 7A, when the vehicle is stopped on the ground surface before entering the earth and sand mountain, the bottom surface of the soil discharge plate 4 is set on the ground surface, and the output value of the distance sensor (distance sensor and ground surface) at this time is set. When the earth and sand height H from the bottom surface of the earth and sand removal plate is converted to the earth and sand height H, the earth and sand height H is adjusted to 0.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, the soil removal plate 4 is lifted to a predetermined highest position (the height from the ground surface to the bottom surface of the soil removal plate is, for example, 680 mm), and the distance sensor at this time is used. When the output value of is converted from the bottom surface of the earth and sand plate to the earth and sand height H, the earth and sand height H is adjusted to be −680 mm.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the bottom surface of the soil removal plate 4 is lowered to a height of 400 mm, which is the design height Hs for sprinkling from the ground surface. At this time, the sensor output conversion value (earth and sand height from the bottom surface of the earth removal plate) H is −400 mm.

After that, when the bulldozer 1 is run toward the earth and sand mountain, as shown in FIG. 7 (d), when the earth and sand plate 4 hits the earth and sand mountain, the sensor output conversion value (earth and sand from the bottom of the earth and sand plate). Height) H is 0 mm. Then, as shown in FIG. 7 (e), the sensor output conversion value (the height of the earth and sand from the bottom surface of the earth and sand plate) is obtained by holding the earth and sand in and in front of the earth and sand removal plate 4 as it plunges into the earth and sand mountain. ) H exceeds 0 mm and increases at a stretch.

Here, the main body of the bulldozer 1 rises above the ground surface by climbing on the earth and sand mountain, but the bulldozer 1 is equipped with a machine control (MC) system, and the altitude of the soil removal plate 4 is irrespective of the height position of the main body. Since it has a function of keeping the soil constant, the height of the soil removal plate 4 is maintained constant.

The machine control system measures the position information of civil engineering vehicles using position measurement devices such as automatic tracking type TS (total station) and GNSS (pan-wide positioning navigation satellite system), and design data of the construction site and the site. This is a system that automatically controls the height and slope of the soil removal plate 4 based on the difference from the board data.

As the sprinkling progresses due to the advance of the bulldozer 1, the earth and sand held by the earth removal plate 4 decreases, and the sensor output conversion value (earth and sand height from the bottom surface of the earth removal plate) H decreases.
Finally, as shown in FIG. 7 (f), the earth and sand held by the earth removal plate 4 becomes almost zero, and the sensor output conversion value (earth and sand height from the bottom surface of the earth removal plate) H is zero or minus. It becomes a value.

FIG. 8 shows the behavior of the bulldozer 1 near the end of the sprinkling work.
In FIG. 8A, the soil removal plate 4 is in the middle of the sprinkling work, and the soil removal plate 4 holds the earth and sand, and the earth and sand is detected above the lower end of the earth and sand removal plate 4. In this case, the earth and sand height H from the bottom surface of the earth removal plate is a positive value. At this time, since the amount of earth and sand held by the soil discharge plate 4 can be estimated in real time, it is possible to know how many m more can be sprinkled, and it is also possible to use it as a guideline for planned operation.

In FIG. 8B, there is no earth and sand in the earth removal plate 4, and the bottom surface of the earth removal plate 4 is in contact with the ground. In this case, the earth and sand height H from the bottom surface of the earth removal plate becomes zero.
In FIG. 8C, there is no earth and sand in the earth removal plate 4, and there is a space under the bottom surface of the earth removal plate 4 (the ground is lower than the lower end of the earth removal plate 4). In this case, the earth and sand height H from the bottom surface of the earth removal plate is a negative value.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8 (B) or FIG. 8 (C), when the sediment height H decreases to 0 mm or becomes a negative value (or even if it is a positive value, it approaches 0 mm). It is determined that the earth and sand held by the earth removal plate 4 has disappeared (empty load determination). If it is determined that the load is empty, the bulldozer 1 is stopped in order to finish the sprinkling. This is because if the bulldozer 1 is advanced further, it will fall from the earth and sand mountain.

Therefore, in the case of unmanned traveling, the risk that the bulldozer 1 may fall or fall from a high-level construction surface can be detected in advance, and the bulldozer 1 can be stopped safely and without wasteful traveling.
However, it can also be applied to manned driving, and by detecting that it does not have earth and sand, making an emergency stop, or notifying the operator, the operator can move on to the next work without waste.

Further, after the running (advancing) of the bulldozer 1 is stopped, the bulldozer 1 is moved back to the next planned route by retreating or the like, so that continuous sprinkling work becomes possible. That is, it is possible to automate the work of sprinkling a predetermined construction area according to the operation plan while detecting the presence or absence of earth and sand.

Next, a simple form management by controlling empty load determination → vehicle stop will be described with reference to FIG.
In the construction work such as dams and construction, it is required to sprinkle the earth and sand up to the specified design height, so the earth and sand are pushed while keeping the soil discharge plate constant at the design height.
Utilizing the fact that it is judged that the construction was carried out at a predetermined sprinkling height up to the point where it was determined to be empty, the traveling range up to the detection of empty load is memorized and overlapped to form a finished product.

For example, on the image of the display, the construction range of the bulldozer 1 is expressed by a mesh of an appropriate size, and the mesh for which the empty load judgment is not detected is colored and displayed so that anyone can understand it. You can easily manage the finished product and progress.

In addition, by using the finished shape of the sprinkling range for the sprinkling plan of the adjacent range, it is possible to make a plan according to the actual sprinkling shape.

In addition, the illustrated embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and the present invention includes various improvements and improvements made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims, in addition to those directly shown by the described embodiments. It goes without saying that it involves changes.
The claims at the time of filing were as follows.
[Claim 1]
It is a sprinkling control method when a civil engineering vehicle with a soil removal plate breaks down a pile of earth and sand and disperses the earth and sand in the traveling direction along the planned route.
Detects the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the soil removal plate during sprinkling,
A method for controlling sprinkling, which comprises stopping the running of the civil engineering vehicle when it is detected that the earth and sand have run out.
[Claim 2]
The sprinkling control method according to claim 1, wherein the civil engineering vehicle is moved to the next planned route after the traveling of the civil engineering vehicle is stopped.
[Claim 3]
The sprinkling control method according to claim 2, wherein the range in which the civil engineering vehicle traveled in the presence of earth and sand is stored and managed as a finished product.
[Claim 4]
To detect the presence or absence of sediment held by the soil removal plate, the soil height from the bottom surface of the soil removal plate is measured using a sensor placed in front of and above the soil removal plate, and the measured soil height is used. The sprinkling control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the method is performed by determining the presence or absence of earth and sand based on the method.
[Claim 5]
Claims 1 to 3 are characterized in that the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth removal plate is detected by detecting the load applied to the civil engineering vehicle and determining the presence or absence of earth and sand based on the load. The sprinkling control method according to any one of the above.

1 Bulldozer 2 Tracks 3 Tractor 4 Soil removal plate (blade)
5 Support frame 6 Front and rear wheels 7 Swing arm 8 Tilt cylinder 9 Lift cylinder 10 Sensor 11 Distance sensor 12 Two-dimensional laser scanner 13 Depth camera

Claims (8)

It is a sprinkling control method when a civil engineering vehicle with a soil removal plate breaks down a pile of earth and sand and disperses the earth and sand in the traveling direction along the planned route.
Detects the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the soil removal plate during sprinkling,
When it is detected that the earth and sand have run out, the civil engineering vehicle is stopped from running .
The presence or absence of earth and sand held by the soil removal plate is detected by using a sensor attached to the upper part of the soil removal plate via a support bracket and arranged in front of and above the soil removal plate. A sprinkling control method that measures the height of sediment from the ground and determines the presence or absence of sediment based on the measured height of sediment . The sensor is configured to include a non-contact distance sensor.
The sprinkling control method according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor measures the distance from the distance sensor to the earth and sand held by the soil discharge plate. The sprinkling control method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a two-dimensional laser scanner installed so as to include the earth and sand held by the earth removal plate in the measurement range. The sprinkling control method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a depth camera that is installed at a position capable of taking a bird's-eye view of the inside of the earth removal plate and can acquire a three-dimensional shape of an image to be photographed. .. The sprinkling control method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a stereo camera that is installed at a position capable of taking a bird's-eye view of the inside of the earth removal plate and can acquire a three-dimensional shape to be photographed. .. The sprinkling control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a plurality of the sensors are arranged in front of and above the soil removal plate at intervals in the left-right direction. The sprinkling control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the civil engineering vehicle is moved to the next planned route after the traveling of the civil engineering vehicle is stopped. The sprinkling control method according to claim 7 , wherein the range in which the civil engineering vehicle traveled in the presence of earth and sand is stored and managed as a finished product.

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