JP2019190039A - Scattering control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a method for a scattering work promoting automatization thereof.SOLUTION: A sediment hill is leveled and sediment is scattered in a traveling direction along a planed route by a bulldozer 1 with an earth removing plate 4. During scattering, upon detecting no sediment left by measuring a height of the sediment from a bottom surface of the earth removing plate 4, the bulldozer 1 is stopped. After the bulldozer 1 is stopped, the bulldozer 1 is moved to a next planed route. Hereupon, an area with sediment where the bulldozer 1 has traveled is memorized, being managed as a completed shape.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a control method (or management method) for a civil engineering vehicle having a soil discharge board.

  In civil engineering vehicles (civil engineering machines) that have earth removing plates (blades), such as bulldozers, and that perform excavation, earthing and leveling of earth and sand, the inside of the earth discharging plates is visually observed from the driver's seat. There are many things that cannot be done. Therefore, it cannot be directly determined how much earth and sand is held, and in many cases, it is determined based on the experience of the operator.

  For this reason, an unskilled operator may run without noticing that he / she does not have earth and sand, leading to a reduction in work efficiency.

  Since unmanned heavy machinery such as remote control is operated from a distance, it is more difficult to grasp the amount of earth and sand in the earth discharging board. In addition, when performing an operation plan of an automatic heavy machine or the like, it is necessary to quantitatively grasp the presence / absence and quantity of sediment as digital data.

On the other hand, Patent Document 1 describes the following apparatus.
This includes a front monitoring device (television camera) installed at a vehicle front position so as to be able to photograph the front of the earth removal plate, and an image display device (display) capable of displaying an image photographed by the front monitoring device. It is characterized in that it was provided.

JP 2001-146761 A

  However, although the technique described in Patent Document 1 allows the operator to visually recognize the front of the earth removal board, the work is advanced based on the operator's judgment to the last, so that the work of squeezing out can be automated and expanded to remote operation. There was still room for improvement.

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

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is a method for controlling the rolling-out when the earth-and-sand mountain is crushed by the civil engineering vehicle having the earth-extracting board and the earth and sand is sprinkled in the traveling direction along the planned route. It is characterized by detecting the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth discharge plate during unloading, and stopping the traveling of the civil engineering vehicle when it is detected that there is no earth and sand.

After stopping the civil engineering vehicle, the civil engineering vehicle may be moved to the next planned route.
Further, it is preferable to store a range in which the civil engineering vehicle has traveled in the presence of earth and sand (a range in which the civil vehicle has traveled with earth and sand) and manage it as a finished product.

  According to the present invention, when it is detected that there is no earth or sand held by the earth discharge plate during the spreading, the traveling (advancing) of the civil engineering vehicle is stopped, so that unnecessary traveling is eliminated and work efficiency is improved. In addition, it is possible to prevent falls from the earth and sand piles.

  In addition, after stopping the civil engineering vehicle, the civil engineering vehicle can be managed by moving the civil engineering vehicle back to the next planned route.

  In addition, by storing the range traveled with earth and sand, it is possible to manage the finished shape, 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 a bulldozer used in an 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 3D shape Explanatory drawing when estimating earth and sand height from vehicle load The figure which shows the change of the earth and sand height from the bottom of the earth discharging board at the time of spreading Unloading judgment at the time of launching → explanatory diagram of vehicle stop Illustration of 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 vehicle (bulldozer) used in the present embodiment.
The bulldozer 1 is equipped with a soil removal board (blade) 4 on the front surface of a tractor (vehicle body) 3 that travels with an endless crawler belt 2.

  The crawler belt 2 is wound around front and rear wheels (sprockets) 6 and 6 that are pivotally supported on the front and rear ends of the support frame 5, and can move forward and backward by its circular movement.

The lower part of the back side of the earth removing plate 4 is pin-connected to the tip of a swing arm 7 that is swingably attached to an intermediate portion of the support frame 5.
The upper side of the earth removal plate 4 is also pin-connected to the rod tip of a tilt cylinder 8 that is swingably attached to an intermediate portion of the swing arm 7 and is disposed obliquely upward.

The upper part of the back side of the earth removing plate 4 is also pin-connected to the rod tip of a lift cylinder 9 which is swingably attached to the front part of the tractor 3 and is disposed obliquely downward.
The swing arm 7, the tilt cylinder 8 and the lift cylinder 9 are provided as a pair on the left and right.

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

  Although the structure of the front side of the earth removal board 4 is various, it is basically a concave shape, has a cutting edge at the lower end, and has surrounding pieces at the left and right end edges.

  With the above structure, an operator who operates the vehicle inside the tractor 3 cannot directly check the inside of the earth discharging plate 4.

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

A specific example of the sensor 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the example of FIG. 2, a 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 corresponding to the distance from the distance sensor 11 to the earth and sand held by the earth discharging plate 4 (the distance to the ground surface when there is no earth and sand held by the earth discharging 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 soil discharging board 4 by a circuit built in or attached to the distance sensor 11. In addition, when there is no earth and sand which the earth removal board 4 has, the earth and sand height H becomes zero or a negative value.

  Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not there is sediment (empty load determination) held by the earth discharge plate 4 based on the sediment height H detected using the distance sensor 11. It is also possible to estimate the amount of earth and sand (sediment volume) based on the height H of the earth and sand, and from the estimated amount of earth and sand, it is possible to determine whether or not there is any earth or sand held by the earth discharge plate 4 (empty judgment). It can also be done.

  The distance sensor 11 is basically set in an orientation so as to detect the position immediately before the earth discharging plate 4, but the distance sensor 11 can be detected at a more forward position by tilting the distance sensor 11 obliquely 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 removing plate 4 via a support bracket, one or more two-dimensional objects are included so that the earth and sand held by the earth removing plate 4 are included in the measurement range in front of and above the earth removing plate 4. A laser scanner (laser range finder) 12 is installed.
In the case of installing a plurality, it is possible to take a method of measuring earth and sand from the left and right sides of the earth discharging plate 4 or a method of measuring from the front and rear.

  Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not there is sediment (empty load determination) held by the soil discharge plate 4 based on the sediment height and the amount of sediment detected and estimated using the two-dimensional laser scanner 12.

In the example of FIG. 5, a depth camera 13 that can acquire a three-dimensional shape is used as the sensor 10.
That is, a sensor, for example, a depth camera 13, which can obtain the three-dimensional shape of the object to be photographed in real time is installed at a position where the inside of the earth removal plate 4 can be seen from above and photographed.
As a result, the three-dimensional shape of the earth and sand held by the earth discharging plate 4 can be acquired in real time, and the height of the earth and sand held by the earth discharging plate 4 and the amount of earth and sand can be detected and estimated accurately from the entire shape of the earth and sand. it can.

  Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not there is sediment (empty load determination) held by the soil discharge plate 4 based on the sediment height and the amount of sediment detected and estimated 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 such as that used in Patent Document 1 and determining whether or not there is earth or sand on the earth discharging plate 4 by image processing.

It is possible to detect and estimate the height of the earth and sand held by the earth discharging plate 4 and the amount of earth and sand based on loads of various actuators of the bulldozer 1.
That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the load applied to the hydraulic motors (not shown) of the wheels (sprockets) 6 that drive the crawler belt 2 and the hydraulic cylinders 9 and 8 that perform the lift operation and tilt operation of the earth removal plate 4 are applied. It is possible to detect and determine the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth discharge plate 4 based on the load (empty load determination).

  Specifically, a pressure sensor is attached to the hydraulic motor or hydraulic cylinder, and the height of the earth and sand (the amount of earth and sand) is estimated from the difference between the pre-learned pressure at no load and the pressure during pressing. It is determined that it is empty.

Next, the unloading 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 operation from a remote monitoring facility, breaks up the earth and sand mountain, and spits the earth and sand in the traveling direction along the planned route. Go.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the control of the bulldozer 1 when the distance sensor is used, and also shows the change in the height of the earth and sand from the bottom surface of the earth discharging plate 4 when the distance sensor is used.
In this example, it is assumed that the bulldozer 1 breaks up the earth-and-sand mountain provided on the ground surface, and the earth and sand are sprinkled from the ground surface to a height of, for example, 400 mm. Accordingly, the protruding design height Hs is 400 mm.

  When stopping on the ground surface before entering the earth and sand mountain, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), the bottom surface of the earth removal plate 4 is set on the ground surface, and the output value of the distance sensor (distance sensor and ground surface) The distance is adjusted so that the earth / sand height H = 0.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, the earth removal plate 4 is lifted to a predetermined highest position (the height from the ground surface to the bottom surface of the earth removal plate is, for example, 680 mm), and the distance sensor at this time When the output value is converted from the bottom surface of the earth discharging 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 earth discharging plate 4 is lowered to a height of 400 mm, which is a design height Hs that protrudes from the ground surface. The sensor output conversion value (sediment height from the bottom surface of the earth discharging plate) H at this time is −400 mm.

  Thereafter, when the bulldozer 1 is run toward the earth and sand pile, as shown in FIG. 7 (d), when the earth discharging plate 4 hits the earth and sand mountain, the sensor output conversion value (the earth and sand from the bottom face of the earth discharging 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 removing plate) is obtained by holding the earth and sand in the earth discharging plate 4 and in front of it as it enters the earth and sand mountain. ) H increases beyond 0 mm at once.

  Here, the main body of the bulldozer 1 rises above the ground surface by climbing on the earth and sand pile, but the bulldozer 1 is equipped with a machine control (MC) system, and the altitude of the earth discharge plate 4 regardless of the height position of the main body Therefore, the height of the earth discharge plate 4 is kept constant.

  The machine control system measures the position information of civil engineering vehicles using position measurement devices such as automatic tracking TS (Total Station) and GNSS (Global Positioning Navigation Satellite System), and the construction site design data and local This is a system that automatically controls the height / gradient of the earth removal board 4 based on the difference from the board data.

As the bulldozer 1 advances, the earth and sand held by the earth discharging plate 4 decrease, and the sensor output conversion value (the earth and sand height from the bottom surface of the earth discharging plate) H decreases.
Finally, as shown in FIG. 7 (f), the earth and sand held by the earth discharging plate 4 is almost zero, and the sensor output conversion value (the earth and sand height from the earth discharging plate bottom) H is zero or minus. Value.

FIG. 8 shows the behavior of the bulldozer 1 in the vicinity of the end point of the scraping operation.
FIG. 8 (A) is in the middle of the spreading work, and the earth removal board 4 holds earth and sand, and earth and sand are detected above the lower end of the earth removal board 4. In this case, the earth and sand height H from the bottom surface of the earth discharge plate is a positive value. At this time, since the amount of earth and sand held by the earth discharging board 4 can be estimated in real time, it is possible to know how many meters can be squeezed out, and it can be used as a guide for planned operation.

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

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8 (B) or FIG. 8 (C), when the earth and sand height H decreases to 0 mm or becomes a negative value (or even if it is a positive value, it approaches 0 mm), It determines with the earth and sand which the earth removal board 4 has lost (empty load determination). If it is determined that there is no load, the bulldozer 1 is stopped in order to end the unloading. This is because if the bulldozer 1 is further moved forward, the bulldozer 1 will fall from the earth and sand pile.

Therefore, in the case of unmanned traveling, the risk of the bulldozer 1 falling from a high construction surface and falling down can be detected in advance, and can be stopped safely and without wasteful travel.
However, the present invention can also be applied to manned traveling, and it is possible to move to the next operation without waste by detecting that there is no earth and sand and making an emergency stop or notifying the operator.

  In addition, after the bulldozer 1 has stopped running (advanced), the bulldozer 1 can be moved back to the next planned route by moving it back, for example, so that continuous pulling work can be performed. That is, it is possible to automate a work for setting up a predetermined construction area in accordance with the operation plan while detecting the presence or absence of earth and sand.

Next, the simple shape management by the control of empty load determination → vehicle stop will be described with reference to FIG.
In erection work such as dams and creations, it is required to spread the earth and sand up to a predetermined design height. Therefore, the earth and sand are pushed while keeping the earth discharge plate constant at the design height.
Using the fact that it was judged that construction was carried out at a predetermined lifting height up to a point determined to be empty, the travel range up to the detection of empty load is stored and overlapped to form a finished product.

  For example, on the image of the display, the construction range of the bulldozer 1 is represented by a mesh of an appropriate size, and the mesh that has not been detected as unloaded is displayed and colored so that anyone can see it. You can easily manage the results and progress.

  Further, by using the completed shape in the above-mentioned protruding range for a protruding plan in an adjacent range, a plan that matches the actual protruding shape can be made.

  The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to those directly described by the described embodiments, and various improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims. Needless to say, it encompasses changes.

1 bulldozer 2 crawler track 3 tractor 4 earth removal board (blade)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Support frame 6 Front-rear wheel 7 Swing arm 8 Tilt cylinder 9 Lift cylinder 10 Sensor 11 Distance sensor 12 Two-dimensional laser scanner 13 Depth camera

Claims (5)

A civil engineering vehicle having a soil removal board, which collapses the earth and sand mountain, and when rolling out the earth and sand in the traveling direction along the planned route,
Detects the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth discharging board during rolling,
A running control method, characterized in that when it is detected that there is no earth and sand, the civil engineering vehicle is stopped.   The start control method according to claim 1, wherein after the traveling of the civil engineering vehicle is stopped, the civil engineering vehicle is moved to a next planned route.   3. The start control method according to claim 2, wherein a range in which the civil engineering vehicle travels in a state where there is earth and sand is stored and managed as a finished shape.   The detection of the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth discharging board is performed by measuring the earth and sand height from the bottom face of the earth discharging board using a sensor disposed in front of and above the earth discharging board. It carries out by determining the presence or absence of earth and sand based on this, The spreading control method as described in any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The detection of the presence or absence of earth and sand held by the earth discharging board is performed 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 firing control method according to any one of the above.