JP2016014314A - Material handling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a material handling machine that saves time and facilitates more efficient digging.SOLUTION: A method of operating a material handling machine 10 having a bucket 24 moveable relative to a chassis 12 includes the steps of a) positioning the bucket 24 in a first position of a first region, which is a digging region, b) moving the bucket 24 to a second region, which is a dumping region, c) providing a control system to automatically return the bucket 24 to the first region by positioning the bucket 24 at a second position of the first region different from the first position of the first region, and d) returning the bucket 24 to the second region.

Description

  The present invention relates to a cargo handling machine.

  Known cargo handling machines, such as excavators, have a material handling arm assembly. The arm assembly can have an arm known as a boom mounted pivotably about an axis that is generally horizontal to the machine chassis. A further arm, known as a dipper, can be attached to the end of the boom remote from the chassis and can be pivoted about a generally horizontal axis. A material handling device such as a bucket can be pivotally attached to the end of the dipper. The boom can be raised and lowered by operating the first hydraulic ram. The dipper can be movable relative to the boom by operating the second hydraulic ram, and the bucket can be movable relative to the dipper by operating the third hydraulic ram.

  In order to move the material, for example to dig a groove, the machine operator must operate all three hydraulic actuators simultaneously, which is a skillful task. A skilled operator can quickly fill a bucket with material when digging a groove, lift the bucket out of the groove and open the bucket on either the left or right side of the vehicle. This excavation cycle time or loading cycle time is significantly affected by the initial penetration of the bucket into the ground. If the bucket goes too deep into the ground, it cannot be pulled in the ground to fill the bucket. Conversely, if the bucket does not sufficiently penetrate the ground, the bucket is only partially filled. Less well trained operators tend to operate with shorter excavation / loading cycle times.

  Therefore, there is a need for an improved cargo handling machine.

Thus, according to the present invention, a method of operating a material handling machine having a material handling device movable relative to a machine chassis comprising:
Placing a material conveying device in a first position in a first region a);
Moving the material transporter to the second region b);
Providing a control system for automatically returning the material transport device to the first region by placing the material transport device in a second position of the first region different from the first position of the first region; c)
And d) returning the material handling device to the second region.

  The first region can be a region where it is desirable to dig a groove. The second region can be a region where it is desirable to deposit excavated soil from the trench. Advantageously, step a) places the instrument in the first region, for example in a region where it is preferred to dig, but step c) places the material conveying instrument in a different position from step a) in the first region. To place. Advantageously, the control system automatically places the material transporter at progressively different locations within the groove as the groove is gradually extended, thereby assisting in the excavation of the groove. As the length of the groove is gradually increased, the material handling device is automatically placed directly in the next sequential position within the groove. As the groove is gradually extended, the different locations within the groove where the material transporter is directly placed will proceed continuously toward or away from the machine. Placing the material transporter directly at the required location in the groove (ie, the material transporter is not moved through the previous drilling location) saves time and facilitates more efficient drilling.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 is a schematic side view of a cargo handling machine according to the present invention. It is a schematic plan view of a part of the cargo handling machine of FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a groove dug in the machine of FIG. 1 according to the method of the present invention.

  With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a material handling machine 10 including a chassis 12 and a cab 14 is shown. The cab is attached to the chassis 12. A ground engaging vehicle in the form of a pair of endless tracks 16 is provided on the chassis for moving the machine on the ground.

  An arm assembly 18 is attached to the cab 14 frame, and the arm assembly includes a first arm in the form of a boom 20, a second arm in the form of a dipper 22, and ground engaging means in the form of a bucket 24. . The boom 20 is pivotally attached to the link 12A by a pivot shaft 26 at the first end 20A of the boom. The link 12A is pivotally attached to the frame with a generally vertical axis. The pivot axis 26 is oriented in the horizontal direction. The dipper is pivotally attached to the second end 20B of the boom 20 by a pivot shaft 28. The pivot axis 28 is oriented in the horizontal direction. The bucket is pivotally attached to the end 22B of the dipper 22 away from the end 22A of the dipper 22 by a pivot shaft 30. The pivot axis 30 is oriented in the horizontal direction.

  A first hydraulic actuator in the form of a first hydraulic ram 32 is pivotable in the middle of the boom between a first end 32A that is pivotably attached to the frame and a first end and a second end of the boom. And a second end 32B attached to the. A second hydraulic actuator in the form of a second hydraulic ram 34 has a first end 34A pivotably attached in the middle of the boom between the first end and the second end of the boom, and a first dipper. And a second end 34B that is pivotally attached to the dipper in proximity to the end 22A. A third hydraulic actuator in the form of a third hydraulic ram 36 has a first end 36A pivotably attached to the dipper adjacent to the first end 22A of the dipper and a second end of the dipper. And a second end portion 36B pivotably attached to the link mechanism 38. The link mechanism 38 is known per se and simply converts the telescopic movement of the third hydraulic ram 36 into the rotational movement of the bucket 24 about the pivot axis 30.

  The extension of the first hydraulic ram raises the boom, and the contraction of the first hydraulic ram causes the boom to drop. The extension of the second ram causes the dipper to pivot clockwise (as viewed in FIG. 1) about the pivot axis 28, that is, moves the boom in the “dipper-in” direction, and the contraction of the second hydraulic ram 34 causes the pivot axis to contract. When viewing FIG. 1 around 28, the dipper is moved counterclockwise, that is, in the "dipper out" direction. The extension of the third hydraulic ram 36 moves the bucket 24 clockwise about the pivot axis 30, that is, in the “stuffing” direction, and the contraction of the third hydraulic ram 36 counterclockwise about the pivot axis 30, ie Move the bucket in the “dump” direction.

  The first, second and third hydraulic rams are all double-acting hydraulic rams. Double acting hydraulic rams are known per se. They include a piston within the cylinder. The piston is attached to a rod that extends beyond the end of the cylinder. The end of the rod away from the piston defines one end of the hydraulic ram. The end of the cylinder away from the rod defines the opposite end of the hydraulic ram. A “head chamber” is defined between the piston and the end of the cylinder away from the rod. A “rod-side chamber” is defined between the piston and the end of the cylinder proximate to the end of the rod. Pressurization of the head side pressure chamber extends the ram and pressurization of the rod side chamber contracts the ram.

  As will be described below, the machine includes a system for operating the first, second and third hydraulic rams.

  A hydraulic pump (not shown) is driven by a prime mover. The prime mover can be an internal combustion engine, but other prime movers are suitable. In order to expand and contract the hydraulic ram 32, the boom spool valve (not shown) can be operated by an operator operating a boom control device (not shown). To extend and retract the hydraulic ram 34, a dipper spool valve (not shown) can be controlled by a dipper controller (not shown). To extend and retract the hydraulic ram 36, a bucket spool valve (not shown) can be controlled by a bucket controller (not shown). In this way, the operator can manually operate the boom control device, dipper control device, and bucket control device to manipulate and transport the material.

  The material handling machine also includes a control system 52.

  The control system 52 can be selectively enabled or disabled at the operator's option. To enable the control system 52, the operator activates a switch, button or other operator input device (not shown). To disable the control system 52, the operator activates a button, switch or other operator input device.

  When the control system is disabled, the operator can manually operate the boom controller, dipper controller, and bucket controller as described above to manipulate and transport the material.

  With the control system enabled, the operation is as follows.

  The control system 52 allows a preprogrammed operation sequence to be performed automatically.

  Thus, the operator activates the control system 52 when it is necessary to dig a groove or the like as an example. As a result, the control system 52 controls the movement of the boom, dipper, and bucket in a pre-programmed operation sequence. A general series of operations of the arm assembly is as follows.

  First, the control system 52 lowers the boom and the dipper is moved in the “dipper out” direction, thereby moving the bucket teeth 25 of the bucket 24 away from the chassis 12. The boom is then further lowered so that the bucket teeth 25 engage the ground. The bucket is then pushed a little to begin moving the bucket teeth through the ground. The dipper, boom and bucket are then gradually moved in the “dipper in” direction and the boom in the “boom up” direction so that the bucket teeth move generally toward the chassis to fill the bucket with ground material. Simultaneously operated to move and move the bucket in the “stuffing” direction. When the bucket is full, the boom is raised and the arm assembly is rotated transversely to the machine, after which the ground material is discharged by moving the bucket to the discharge position. The sequence is then repeated as a whole. However, when the bucket is returned to the groove, the bucket is not placed in the same position as when the first bucket full of ground material was removed, but rather the bucket takes the second bucket full of ground material. Ready to be placed in progressively different positions.

  2 and 3, the bucket cutting edge 24B must first be placed on the ground G at position 101 in order to dig a groove. The control system then moves the boom, dipper, and bucket to draw leading edge 24B to position 102. The control system then packs the bucket to draw cutting edge 24B to position 103, after which the boom is lifted to remove the bucket from the ground. Thereby, the portion A of the ground, which is shown by cross hatching in FIG. 3, is removed. The frame is then rotated clockwise (when viewed in FIG. 2) relative to the chassis to move the bucket toward the second region 60 that is intended to drain the excavated soil from the trench. The When bucket 24 is above second area 60, the bucket is “dumped”, thereby depositing excavated soil A on the ground at area 60. The frame is then rotated counterclockwise and the cutting edge 24B is returned to the groove. However, since the ground material A has been moved, the tip 24B of the bucket 24 needs to be placed at position 102, not position 101, by the control system. To fill the bucket a second time, the cutting edge is placed at position 102 and moved to position 104 and then moved to position 105 to collect ground material B, shown in FIG. 3 as cross-hatched. The boom is then raised to lift the bucket from the ground, the frame is rotated clockwise, and the excavated soil B is deposited in the second region 60, thereby forming a pile of excavated soil. For the third bucket filling, the cutting edge is first placed at position 104 by the control system and then moved to positions 106 and 107. For the fourth bucket filling, the cutting edge is placed at position 106 by the control system and then moved to positions 108 and 109. For the fifth bucket filling, the cutting edge is placed at position 108 by the control system and then moved to positions 110 and 111. The sixth bucket fill is placed at location 110 by the control system and then moved to locations 112 and 113. In this way, each time the bucket is returned to the groove, the cutting edge is arranged by the control system to be progressively different from the previous time.

  The desired position of the groove represents the first region 59 (see FIG. 2). The pile of excavated soil in the groove represents the second region 60 (see FIG. 2). The present invention provides for the material transporter (in this example, bucket 24) to be repeatedly moved between the first region and the second region. However, the instrument is not moved to the same position when in the first area, but rather the instrument is automatically moved to progressively different positions in the first area. In this way, grooves and the like can be dug gradually.

If it is necessary to dig a short groove, the movement of the boom, dipper and bucket may be sufficient to dig a short groove, in other words, the vehicle may not need to be moved by endless track 16. . However, in other situations where a long groove is required, digging the first part of the groove (eg, by removing the ground materials A, B and C) while the chassis is at position 1 in FIG. Can do. In order to remove the ground materials D, E and F, it may be necessary to move the chassis to position 2 shown in FIG. In spite of the movement of the chassis, the bucket returns to the first region, i.e. returns to the groove to remove the ground material D, E and F. In one embodiment, the system allows automatic excavation of the groove, etc. Need not be physically present on the machine, but rather the operator can leave the machine. This is particularly advantageous in hazardous environments, where the operator can be away from the machine and in a safe place.

  When away from the operator, the operator does not need to control all aspects of the machine. In one embodiment, the operator only needs to determine the first position of the first region and the second region. After this is done, the control system can automatically generate a predetermined sequence of movements, thereby conveying the material in the desired manner, e.g. digging a groove or hole in the first region, Excavated soil is deposited in the second region.

  Alternatively, in another embodiment, only certain steps can be controlled by the controller. For example, only the step of returning the material transport device to the first region by placing the material transport device in a second position of the first region different from the first position of the first region needs to be performed automatically. This allows the instrument to be quickly returned to an appropriate position (eg, in the groove) that is different from the previous position of the instrument (eg, in the groove). The control system can therefore quickly return the instrument to progressively different positions. This, in turn, allows the operator to control the movement of the instrument, for example to transport material, until it is necessary to return the instrument to another progressively different position. This is advantageous when the material to be transported is not uniform, for example when the ground occasionally contains large rocks or other such materials. For example, when digging, the first three bucket loads may contain disjoint materials such as soil. Lifting this soil requires special instrument operation. However, the fourth load may require excavation of rock or the like that requires slightly different instrument operation. The operator can decide if necessary the operation of the necessary equipment needed to pick up the soil and rock, but nevertheless once the soil / rock is placed on a pile of excavated soil, The machine will be in appropriate incrementally different positions ready for operation of further material handling equipment to pick up additional soil or additional rock, as required by the operator, as required. The instrument can be returned.

  As described above and shown in FIG. 3, the leading edge 24B of the bucket begins to move at position 101. For each successive bucket load, leading edge 24B is positioned at locations 102, 104, 106, 108 and 110. These progressively different starting positions generally advance towards the machine. However, in further embodiments, the progressively different positions do not have to travel towards the machine, but rather they can travel in any direction. In particular, when digging a deep hole or deep groove, something with progressively different positions may be directly below the previous position.

  The control system can be pre-programmed at the manufacturing plant with the sequence of operations to be performed. Alternatively, the control system can be preprogrammed in the field. Specifically, the control system can be preprogrammed in the field by recording the seek sense of the material handling operation and then preparing to repeat these actions. For example, another way to dig the trench of FIG. 3 is for the operator to remove soils A and B with the control system disabled.

  With the control system still disabled, the operator activates the recording system, and the recording system as a result of the boom controller, dipper controller and bucket controller used to remove the soils C and D. Record the manual operation sequence. The recorded operation sequence becomes a pre-programmed operation sequence for removing soils E and F, excluding the offset. In other words, the sequence of operations used to remove soils D and E is repeated to remove soils E and F, but with an offset depending on the distance between positions 104 and 108. Repeated.

  In one embodiment, additional sensors can be provided to provide a feedback loop for instrument position control. However, in one embodiment, no sensors or the like are required, and therefore no position feedback loop is required. Thus, such a configuration is relatively inexpensive (since no feedback sensor is required) and is relatively easy to maintain (since there are no sensors that require maintenance).

  As described above, the material handling machine is an excavator. However, the present invention is not limited to excavators, and other cargo handling machines such as backhoe loaders, telescopic handlers, forklift trucks and the like can be used. As mentioned above, the instrument used is a bucket. However, in further embodiments, it is not necessary to use a bucket and other equipment should be used, such as a forklift or a telescopic handler fork.

  As described above, the material conveying device is disposed at a first position of the first region, and the material conveying device is disposed at a second position of the first region different from the first position of the first region. The step of returning the instrument to the first region is performed with the machine stationary, with the machine stationary at the same position, or with the machine stationary at a different position. In a further embodiment, it is not possible to perform one or both of these steps while the machine is moving, ie while the machine is moving on the ground.

Claims (18)

A method of operating a material handling machine having a material handling device movable relative to a chassis of the machine, comprising:
Placing the material conveying device in a first position in a first region a);
B) moving the material transporter to the second region;
Preparing a control system to automatically return the material conveying device to the first region by placing the material conveying device in a second position of the first region different from the first position of the first region c) When,
Returning the material conveying device to the second region d).   The step a) is performed automatically by the control system, preferably the step a) includes performing a material transport operation using the instrument, preferably the operation picks up material. The method according to 1.   3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein step b) is performed automatically by the control system, preferably step b) comprises moving material carried by the instrument to a second region.   The step b) is performed automatically by the control system, and the step b) includes performing a material transport operation using the instrument in a second region, preferably the operation deposits material. Item 4. The method according to any one of Items 1 to 3.   5. The method according to claim 1, wherein step c) is performed automatically by the control system, and step c) includes returning the material transport device to the first region without material. the method of.   The step c) is automatically performed by the control system, and the step c) includes performing a material conveying operation using the instrument, preferably, performing a material conveying operation according to claim 2; 6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   The step d) is performed automatically by the control system, preferably the step d) comprises moving material carried by the instrument to a second region. The method described in 1.   The step d) is performed automatically by the control system, and the step d) comprises performing a material conveying operation using the instrument, preferably comprising performing a material conveying operation according to claim 4, 8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.   The step b) is automatically performed by the control system, the step b) includes moving the material conveying device to a first position in a second region, and is automatically performed by the control system; 9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein step d) comprises returning the material transport device to a first position in a second region different from a second position in the second region.   10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the method is used to dig a hole.   11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material is a fragile material and / or a loose material.   The method of claim 11, wherein the method is used to move fragile and / or disjoint material from a first region to a second region.   The method according to claim 1, wherein the material handling device is a bucket or an excavator.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the steps a), b), c) and d) are performed while the chassis of the machine is stationary. A control system is provided to automatically return the material conveying device to the first region by placing the material conveying device in a third position of the first region different from the first and second positions of the first region. E) where the second position of the first region is the first position of the first region and the third position of the first region, e)
F) returning the material conveying device to the second region f).   The method of claim 15, wherein step f) is performed automatically by the control system.   16. The method of claim 15, wherein the steps a), b), c), d), e) and f) are performed while the machine chassis is stationary.   The steps a), b), c) and d) are performed while the machine chassis is stationary, and before performing steps e) and f), the machine chassis is different and / or The method of claim 15, wherein the method is moved to an adjacent location.

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