JP6799496B2 - Garbage truck and emergency stop device equipped on it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is for recognizing a worker near the dust inlet of a garbage truck by image processing technology and stopping the operation of the dust loading device when it is determined that the person is in a dangerous area. It is about an emergency stop device.

Conventionally, a garbage truck has been equipped with a dust loading device in a dust loading box provided at the rear of the chassis, and the dust thrown from the dust loading port is loaded into the dust loading box by a rotating plate or a loading box. It is designed to be scraped with a board and loaded into the garbage storage box. In addition, in order to prevent workers who inject dust into the dust inlet from being inadvertently caught in the dust loading device, there are various monitoring systems that monitor people in the vicinity of the dust inlet. Proposed.

For example, in the monitoring system described in Patent Document 1, a camera as an imaging means is arranged in the upper rear part of the dust input box so as to photograph the lower dust input port and a predetermined area behind the camera. Then, if the data of the image taken by the camera is transmitted to the image processing device while the dust loading device is operating and it is determined that a person has invaded the entry prohibited area set in advance in this image, the dust is discarded. A stop command signal is transmitted to the control device of the loading device.

Japanese Patent No. 4283568

In the monitoring system of the conventional example, the control device of the dust loading device and the image processing device are connected by electrical wiring, and the control device of the dust loading device receives the stop command signal from the image processing device. Controls to switch the electromagnetic clutch of the PTO device to the disengaged state. The PTO device takes out the output of the engine to operate the hydraulic pump of the dust loading device, and if the electromagnetic clutch thereof is switched to the cutoff state, the operation of the dust loading device can be stopped.

However, in the above-mentioned monitoring system, if some trouble occurs in the wiring between the image processing device and the control device, the stop command signal may not be received by the control device. In addition, some abnormality may have occurred in the control device itself, and in these cases, the electromagnetic clutch of the PTO device cannot be properly controlled, and the dust loading device may not be stopped. ..

Focusing on this point, the inventor of the present invention has proposed a configuration in which an image processing device itself is provided in an energizing line to the control device and energization is cut off according to the result of image processing (patented). Application No. 2017-53228). In this way, a malfunction in the wiring between the image processing device and the control device will not be a problem, and even if an abnormality occurs in the control device itself, it will not be affected by it, and dust will be accumulated more reliably. It is considered that the operation of the loading device can be stopped.

However, if the image processing device itself is interposed in the energizing line to the control device of the dust loading device in this way, the energizing of the control device is cut off when the image processing device fails, and the dust loading device May not be able to operate. Further, for example, even if an attempt is made to operate the dust loading device during maintenance, if a technician or the like is in a dangerous area near the dust input port, the image processing device cuts off the power supply to the control device. It may not be possible to activate the debris loading device.

Focusing on this point, an object of the present invention is to install an image processing device in an energizing line to a control device of a dust loading device, even when an unnecessary energization is cut off by the image processing device. The purpose is to improve convenience by enabling the dust loading device to operate.

In the emergency stop device for the dust collecting vehicle of the present invention, if the vicinity of the dust input port is photographed by a camera and the image processing device input the image data determines that a person is in a predetermined area near the dust input port. , When the operation of the dust loading device is stopped, the control device for controlling the operation of the dust loading device is equipped, and the dust loading device is performing the dust loading operation. , It is configured to be energized by a predetermined energizing line and to stop the dust loading device when this energization is cut off.

On top of that, the image processing device is provided in the energization line, and an energization cutoff unit that cuts off the energization of the control device when it is determined that a person is present in the predetermined area is provided, and further, the energization cutoff is provided. A changeover switch is also provided in the energization line so as to switch between the unit and the bypass line that bypasses the unit and enables energization of the control device.

In the emergency stop device configured in this way, when the dust loading device is loaded and operated by the control device, the control device is usually energized by an energizing line, and in this energizing line, the changeover switch is an image processing device. It is switched to energize the energization cutoff part. In this state, if the image processing device determines that there is a person in a predetermined area near the dust inlet (for example, corresponding to the entry prohibited area of Patent Document 1), the energization cutoff unit cuts off the energization of the control device. ..

By cutting off the energization in this way, the control device stops the operation of the dust loading device. In particular, if the operation of the control device is stopped, even if an abnormality occurs in the control device itself, the operation of the dust loading device can be stopped without being affected by the abnormality. Further, since the image processing device is provided in the energizing line to cut off the energizing, there is no problem of wiring failure between the image processing device and the control device. Therefore, the operation of the dust loading device can be stopped more reliably.

On the other hand, when the above-mentioned image processing device temporarily breaks down and the power supply to the control device is cut off by the power supply cutoff unit even though there is no person in the vicinity of the dust inlet, or for example, maintenance or the like. In this case, even if an engineer or the like is in the vicinity of the dust inlet, when he / she wants to operate the dust loading device, the image processing device is bypassed by switching the changeover switch of the energizing line to the bypass line. The control device can be energized.

In other words, when an image processing device is installed in the energizing line to the control device of the dust loading device, even if the image processing device fails or unnecessary power is cut off during maintenance, switching is performed. By operating the switch, the control device can be energized via the bypass line so that the dust loading device can be operated, and the convenience can be enhanced.

As the energization cutoff unit that cuts off the energization in this way, the image processing device has a switch interposed in the energization line and the switch is opened when it is determined that a person is present in a predetermined area to cut off the energization. It suffices to provide a cutoff control unit for the operation. Further, the dust loading member loading device provided with a sensor for detecting that the working in the vicinity of the garbage charging port, before loading member of the dust inlet based on a signal from here The energization may be cut off only when it is determined that the operation is in a range from the bottom of the edge portion to the vicinity of the trailing edge portion of the dust inlet .

Further, in general, a garbage truck is provided with an emergency stop button or the like near the dust input port at the rear of the vehicle body, so that an image processing device is provided on an energizing line in which a switch or the like for the emergency stop button is provided. It is preferable to install. In this way, the emergency stop device can be easily configured by using the power supply line for emergency stop originally provided in the control system.

From a different point of view, the present invention is a garbage truck equipped with the above-mentioned emergency stop device. In this case, the dust loading device is mounted inside the dust loading box having the dust loading port opened on the back surface, and the camera is arranged on the back surface of the dust loading box above the dust loading port. The image processing device also includes an image output unit that displays an image taken by the camera and a determination result that a person is present in a predetermined area on a monitor arranged around the driver's seat.

In such a garbage truck, the operation of the dust loading device can be stopped more reliably by the emergency stop device as described above. In addition, the existing back camera can be used as a camera for image processing, and the cost can be reduced. Then, by displaying the result of image processing on the monitor for the back camera, it is possible to promptly notify the driver that the dust loading device has stopped urgently and the reason for the emergency stop.

According to the emergency stop device for the dust collecting vehicle according to the present invention, an image processing device for determining whether or not a person is present in a predetermined area near the dust input port is provided in the energizing line to the control device of the dust loading device. Since the energization cutoff part cuts off the energization to the control device, there is no problem with the wiring between the control device and the control device itself, and an abnormality occurs in the control device itself. Even if it is, it becomes possible to stop the operation of the dust loading device.

On top of that, the changeover switch provided in the energization line makes it possible to energize the control device by bypassing the power cutoff unit, so that unnecessary energization occurs when the image processing device breaks down or during maintenance. Even if the interruption occurs, the dust loading device can be operated by the control device, which enhances convenience.

It is a side view which shows the garbage truck which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of operation of the dust loading device equipped in the garbage truck of FIG. It is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the dust loading device of the garbage truck of FIG. It is the schematic which shows the control device of the garbage truck of FIG. 1 and its input / output state. It is explanatory drawing which shows the schematic structure of the person recognition apparatus equipped in the garbage truck of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the worker who loads a garbage bag into a garbage inlet diagonally from the rear. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the image taken by a camera. It is a flowchart which shows an example of an image processing routine. It is a flowchart which shows the determination of the hand and the head of a person. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example about a wristband. It is a figure corresponding to FIG. 4 when the changeover switch is switched to the bypass line.

Hereinafter, embodiments in which the present invention is applied to a rotary garbage truck will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for convenience, the front / rear / left / right of the garbage truck may be simply referred to as front / rear / left / right.

FIG. 1 shows a garbage truck 100 equipped with a person recognition device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a dust storage box 2 and a dust storage box 3 are provided on the chassis 1 of the garbage truck 100. The opening at the rear of No. 2 and the opening at the front of the garbage truck 3 are communicated with each other. Further, the dust input box 3 is pivotally supported by a pivot axis 3a in the left-right direction provided on the upper portion thereof, and is tilted by a pair of left-right tilting cylinders (not shown).

Further, a rectangular dust charging port 4 (see also FIGS. 6 and 7) for loading dust is opened at a lower portion on the back surface of the dust loading box 3, and is opened and closed by a tailgate 5 that can be raised and lowered. It is supposed to be done. A switch box 6 for operating the dust loading device and the like is provided on the left side of the dust inlet 4, and above the dust inlet 4, the dust is described in detail later. A camera 7 is arranged so as to photograph the vicinity of the input port 4, and a work light 8 is arranged below the camera 7 so as to illuminate the vicinity of the dust input port 4.

As shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 2, the inside of the dust loading box 3 is equipped with a dust loading device for loading the thrown dust into the dust storage box 2. The dust loading device of the present embodiment is a so-called rotary type in which the rotating plate 10 (loading member) scoops up the dust and the pushing plate 20 pushes the dust into the dust storage box 2. That is, first, the rotating shaft 11 is erected in the lower part of the dust input box 3 so as to extend in the width direction thereof, and the base end side of the rotating plate 10 is fixed to the rotating shaft 11.

In the illustrated example, a hydraulic motor 13 capable of forward / reverse rotation is connected to the end of the rotating shaft 11 via a reduction mechanism 12. Therefore, the rotation of the hydraulic motor 13 is torqued up by the reduction mechanism 12 and transmitted to the rotating shaft 11, and the rotating plate 10 is rotated integrally with the rotating shaft 11, so that the tip portion thereof has a substantially semi-arc shape in cross section. It comes to move in the front-rear direction along the bottom wall of the dust input box 3 formed in.

On the other hand, the push-in plate 20 is provided above the rotary plate 10 over the entire width direction of the dust input box 3, and can swing in the front-rear direction around the left-right swing shaft 21 provided above the push-in plate 20. Is supported by. Further, the push plate 20 is provided with an extension portion 22 extending above the swing shaft 21, and a push cylinder 24 is erected between the extension portion 22 and the support pin 23 in front of the extension portion 22. The push-in plate 20 is swung in the front-rear direction by the expansion / contraction operation.

That is, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, when the pushing plate 20 is at the position where it swings most toward the dust storage box 2 (advance limit position), the rotating plate 10 moves upward without interfering with the pushing plate 20. The push-in plate 20 swings toward the dust input port 4 side after this. Then, even after the push-in plate 20 swings most toward the dust input port 4 and reaches the retreat limit position shown by the virtual line in FIG. 2, the rotation of the rotating plate 10 is continued.

The rotating plate 10 that rotates in this way scrapes the dust toward the dust storage box 2 side, and temporarily stops at the set stop position extending to the front dust storage box 2 side as shown by the solid line in FIG. Then, the push plate 20 swings toward the dust storage box 2 side, and the dust on the rotating plate 10 is pushed into the dust storage box 2. Then, when the push-in plate 20 reaches the above-mentioned advance limit position again, the rotating plate 10 will rotate upward again.

By repeating the rotation of the rotating plate 10 and the swinging of the pushing plate 20 in synchronization with each other in this way, the dust thrown into the dust loading box 3 is continuously loaded into the dust storage box 2 (hereinafter, dust stacking). It is called a built-in operation). The configuration of the hydraulic circuit and the electronic control device (control system) for operating the rotary plate 10 and the push plate 20 in this way will be described below, but for that purpose, the rotary plate 10 and the push plate 10 are inside the dust input box 3. Switches LS1 to LS4 for detecting the position of the plate 20 are provided.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the switches LS1 and LS2, which are turned on when the push plate 20 is in the forward limit position or the reverse limit position, and the switches LS1 and LS2, which are turned on when the rotary plate 10 is in the set stop position, are turned on. A switch LS3 and a switch LS4 that are turned on when the rotating plate 10 is rotated by a predetermined angle in a positive direction (clockwise in FIG. 1) from the set stop position and turned off when the rotating plate 10 is further rotated by a predetermined angle are provided. Has been done.

The switches LS1 and LS2 are designed to detect dogs (not shown) provided at the end of the swing shaft 21 of the push plate 20, and the switches LS3 to LS4 are the rotary shafts 11 of the rotary plate 10. A dog (not shown) provided at the end is detected. Further, as these switches LS1 to LS4, for example, a limit switch, a photoelectric switch, a proximity switch and the like can be used.

Further, in the switch LS4, as shown by hatching in FIG. 2, the rotating plate 10 descends from directly below the front edge portion 4a of the dust inlet 4 while rotating backward thereof, and the trailing edge portion 4b of the dust inlet 4 It is a sensor for detecting that the rotating plate 10 is operating in the vicinity of the dust inlet 4 for detecting the angle range Z up to the closest distance to the dust inlet 4. Since there is a risk that the rotating plate 10 may involve a part of the worker's body in the angle range Z, it is referred to as a dangerous angle range Z below.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, emergency stop buttons 60 and 61 for stopping the operation of the dust loading device, an emergency stop plate 62, and the like are arranged in the vicinity of the dust input port 4. .. As shown in FIG. 1, an emergency stop button 60 is arranged in the switch box 6 on the left side of the dust inlet 4, and an emergency stop button 61 is arranged on the right side of the dust inlet 4 as shown by a broken line in FIG. It is arranged. The emergency stop plate 62 is arranged below the dust inlet 4 so as to turn on / off the switch SW3.

-Control system for dust loading device-
Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a control system for operating the dust loading device as described above will be described. This control system is a hydraulic circuit that controls the flood control supplied to the hydraulic motor 13 and the push cylinder 24 of the dust loading device, and a control device that outputs control signals to the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 provided in the hydraulic circuit. It is equipped with a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).

First, the hydraulic circuit will be described with reference to FIG. 3. This hydraulic circuit controls the hydraulic pump P, the oil reservoir T, the electromagnetic control valve V1 for controlling the push cylinder 24, and the hydraulic motor 13. The electromagnetic control valve V2 of the above is provided. Although not shown, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the hydraulic pump P via the PTO (power take-off).

As an example, the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 are each composed of an electromagnetic directional control valve having 6 ports and 3 positions. When the solenoid SOLa is excited by the control device PLC, the electromagnetic control valve V1 switches to the first communication position (upper position in the figure), and the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump P is introduced into the rod-side oil chamber of the pair of push cylinders 24. When the solenoid SOLb is excited by the control device PLC, it switches to the second communication position (lower position in the figure) and supplies the hydraulic oil to the oil chamber on the head side.

When the hydraulic oil is supplied from the electromagnetic control valve V1 to the oil chamber on the head side, the pair of push cylinders 24 are extended and the push plate 20 is swung forward. On the other hand, when the hydraulic oil is supplied to the oil chamber on the rod side, the pair of push cylinders 24 contract and cause the push plate 20 to swing rearward. Further, when neither of the solenoids SOLa and SOLb is excited, the electromagnetic control valve V1 returns to the neutral position (center position in the figure).

On the other hand, when the solenoid SOLc is excited, the electromagnetic control valve V2 switches to the first communication position (the lower position in the figure), supplies hydraulic oil to the oil chamber on the forward rotation side of the hydraulic motor 13, and the hydraulic motor 13 In addition to the normal rotation operation, the push cylinder 24 can also be expanded and contracted. On the other hand, when the solenoid SOLd is excited, the electromagnetic control valve V2 switches to the second communication position (upper position in the figure), supplies hydraulic oil to the oil chamber on the reverse side of the hydraulic motor 13, and reverses the hydraulic motor 13. Activate.

Further, when neither of the solenoids SOLc and SOLd is excited, the electromagnetic control valve V2 returns to the neutral position (center position in the figure). When both the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 are in the neutral position, the hydraulic oil returns to the oil reservoir T. In the illustrated hydraulic circuit, reference numeral V3 is a check valve, and reference numeral V4 is a relief valve for setting an upper limit of the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump P.

Next, the input / output state of the signal of the control device PLC or the like will be described with reference to FIG. First, the power supply to the control device PLC is performed by the battery BT shown in the upper left of the figure (below the monitor 93 in the figure). A key switch SWK, a PTO switch SWP, a relay coil CR1 and the like of the garbage truck 100 are interposed in the energizing line K2 extending from the positive electrode of the battery BT to the right side of the drawing and reaching the ground line K1.

Further, the upstream end of the energizing line K3 is connected so as to branch off from the energizing line K2 between the key switch SWK and the battery BT, and the relay coil CR1 is connected to the upstream side (the side close to the battery BT). The contact cr1 is interposed. A power lamp L is interposed in the energization line K3, and when the relay coil CR1 is turned on and the contact cr1 is closed, the power lamp L is turned on by energizing the energization line K3.

Further, the upstream end of the energization line K4 is connected so as to branch from the energization line K3 between the contact cr1 of the relay coil CR1 and the power lamp L, whereby the signal power supply unit of the control device PLC (FIG. Power is supplied to (not shown). That is, when the contact cr1 is closed as described above, power is supplied to the control device PLC via the energizing lines K3 and K4.

Further, the energizing line K5 branching from the energizing line K4 ensures that the control device PLC is energized during the dust loading operation of the dust loading device. That is, the energization line K5 is a line for inputting a so-called loading continuation signal, and is opened and closed here in response to the operation of the emergency stop buttons 60 and 61 and the emergency stop plate 62 described above with reference to FIG. Switches SW1 to SW3 are provided.

When the energization (that is, the input of the loading continuation signal) is cut off by these switches SW1 to SW3, the operation of the control device PLC is stopped. As a result, all the output of the control signal from the control device PLC for exciting the solenoids SOLa to SOLd of the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 is cut off, and the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 are returned to the neutral position, resulting in dust. The operation of the loading device is stopped.

Further, a plurality of branch lines branching from the middle of the energizing line K4 are connected, and the switches LS1 to LS4 described above are interposed in each of these branch lines with reference to FIG. The signals from the switches LS1 to LS3 are input to the control device PLC, and the positions of the rotating plate 10 and the pushing plate 20 of the dust loading device, that is, the operating status is detected based on these signals. To.

In addition to the above switches LS1 to LS3, on the input side to the control device PLC, although not shown, a start / stop switch for the dust loading device, a single-acting or continuous selection switch for the dust loading operation, A switch for selecting a dust loading operation and a dust discharging operation, a switch for operating the rotating plate 10 and the pushing plate 20 independently, a switch for tilting and opening the dust loading box 3 and the like are also connected.

Further, as described above with reference to FIG. 2, the signal from the switch LS4 that detects that the rotating plate 10 is in the dangerous angle range Z is input to the image processing unit 9 instead of the control device PLC. It has become like. In response to this, the central processing unit CPU of the image processing unit 9 opens the relay switch SW4 when a stop signal is issued from the image processing unit DSP, and energizes the control device PLC by the energization line K5, which will be described in detail later. To shut off.

While various switches are connected to the input side as described above, the solenoids SOLa to SOLd of the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 described above are connected to the output side of the control device PLC with reference to FIG. .. Then, the control device PLC sets the corresponding solenoids SOLa to SOLd in order to operate the hydraulic motor 13 and the push cylinder 24 according to a preset procedure based on the signals input from the switches SW1 to SW3, LS1 to LS3 and the like. It is programmed to output.

That is, for example, when the dust loading device operates the dust loading operation, both the key switch SWK and the PTO switch SWP on the energizing line K2 are closed and the relay coil CR1 is energized. As a result, the contact cr1 of the relay coil CR1 is closed, so that the control device PLC becomes operable by being energized by the energizing lines K3 to K5, and a control signal is output to the solenoids SOLa to SOLd as appropriate. become.

In response to this control signal, the solenoids SOLa to SOLd are excited, and the positions of the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 are appropriately switched to supply the hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic motor 13, the push cylinder 24, and the like. As a result, the hydraulic motor 13 and the push cylinder 24 operate respectively, and as described above with reference to FIG. 2, the rotation of the rotary plate 10 and the swing of the push plate 20 are repeated in synchronization with each other.

Specifically, first, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, the push plate 20 is in the forward limit position and the on signal is output from the switch LS1, and the rotary plate 10 is in the set stop position and is also on from the switch LS3. When the signal is output, the control device PLC that receives the signal of the start switch outputs the control signal, the electromagnetic control valve V2 is switched to the first communication position, and the hydraulic motor 13 starts the normal rotation operation. As a result, the rotating plate 10 starts to rotate upward.

Then, when a predetermined period elapses, a control signal is output from the control device PLC to the solenoid SOLa of the electromagnetic control valve V1, the electromagnetic control valve V1 is switched to the first communication position, and the push cylinder 24 starts the contraction operation. As a result, the push-in plate 20 swings toward the rear dust input port 4, and when the push-in plate 20 reaches the backward limit position, an ON signal is output from the switch LS2.

In response to this, the control device PLC stops the output of the control signal to the solenoid SOLa, so that the electromagnetic control valve V1 returns to the neutral position and the swing of the push plate 20 is stopped. Further, while the pushing plate 20 is swinging in this way, the rotating plate 10 continues to rotate, and the dust is scraped into the dust storage box 2 side, and the pushing plate 20 rotating in this way The setting stop position is reached, and an on signal is output from the switch LS3.

In response to this, the control device PLC stops the output of the control signal to the solenoid SOLc of the electromagnetic control valve V2, so that the electromagnetic control valve V2 returns to the neutral position and the rotation of the hydraulic motor 13 is stopped. Further, the control device PLC outputs a control signal to the solenoid SOLb of the electromagnetic control valve V1, the electromagnetic control valve V1 is switched to the second communication position, and the push cylinder 24 starts the extension operation, whereby the push plate 20 Begins to swing forward.

In this way, the push plate 20 swinging toward the front dust storage box 2 pushes the dust on the rotating plate 10 into the dust storage box 2, and when the forward limit position is reached, an ON signal is output from the switch LS1. In response to this, the control device PLC stops the output of the control signal to the solenoid SOLb, so that the electromagnetic control valve V1 returns to the neutral position, the pushing cylinder 24 is extended, that is, the pushing plate 20 is shaken forward. The movement stops and the series of operations ends.

As shown in FIG. 4, the image processing unit 9 described below is interposed in the energizing line K5 in which the switches SW1 to SW3 for emergency stop are interposed, and the image processing is performed. A changeover switch SWS for energizing the control device PLC by a bypass line K6 that bypasses the unit 9 is also provided. Further, a work light 8 and a pilot lamp 91 are connected to the output side (right side of FIG. 4) of the image processing unit 9, and lighting control thereof is performed.

-Person recognition device and emergency stop device-
By the way, when the dust loading device is performing the dust loading operation as described above, the operator who is loading the dust into the dust loading port 4 may be inadvertently caught in the rotating plate 10 or the like. Therefore, in the garbage truck 100 of the present embodiment, the camera 7 is arranged so as to take a picture of the vicinity of the dust input port 4, and it is determined by image processing that a person in the vicinity of the dust input port 4 is in a dangerous area. If so, the operation of the dust loading device is immediately stopped.

That is, in addition to appearing in FIGS. 1 and 2 above, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a camera 7 is arranged above the back surface of the dust input box 3, that is, above the dust input port 4. The image pickup lens 70 is directed obliquely downward at the rear. This camera 7 is originally used as a back camera for the driver of the garbage truck 100 to monitor the rear, and as an example shown in FIG. 7, the dust input port 4 and a predetermined range behind the dust input port 4 are photographed. It has become like.

Then, in order to photograph the rear of the dust inlet 4, the optical axis A of the image pickup lens 70 of the camera 7 is turned vertically downward to the rear so that the person H in the vicinity of the dust inlet 4 is photographed from above. It has become. Further, the work light 8 arranged below the camera 7 is also directed diagonally downward to the rear, irradiates light substantially parallel to the optical axis A of the image pickup lens 70, and substantially in the direction in which the person H is photographed by the camera 7. It is designed to irradiate from the front.

By shining the illumination light from the front in this way, even if the posture of the person H changes slightly, the appearance does not change significantly, so even in a dark place such as at night or in an underground space, in the captured image. The change in the object image of the person H is not so large. Further, since the work light 8 is arranged below the camera 7, it is possible to suppress the contamination of the work light 8 due to rain and wind, and it is easy for an operator or the like to visually recognize the on / off of the work light 8.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the camera 7 is operated via the signal distributor 92 with the monitor 93 for monitoring and the image processing unit 9 (an image processing device, for example, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 1). It is connected to (arranged around the seat). The monitor 93 provides an image of the camera 7 to the driver of the garbage truck 100, and the same image is transmitted to the image processing unit 9 to determine whether or not a worker or the like is in a dangerous area. To.

That is, FIGS. 5 to 7 above show a worker (person H) standing in the vicinity of the garbage input port 4 with both arms extended forward to load the garbage bag. The image processing unit 9 determines whether or not the user is in a dangerous area. Therefore, as schematically shown in FIG. 5, the image processing unit 9 is provided with an image processing unit DSP that inputs image data from the camera 7 and performs known image processing described below.

Further, the image processing unit 9 includes a central processing unit CPU that executes a predetermined program to perform various controls, a memory M that stores data used in the central processing unit CPU and the image processing unit DSP, and central processing. A relay switch SW4 that opens and closes in response to a command from the CPU is also provided. Then, if the image processing unit DSP determines that the person H is in a dangerous area, the central processing unit CPU opens the relay switch SW4.

Here, as described above with reference to FIG. 4, both the key switch SWK and the PTO switch SWP are closed during the loading operation of the dust loading device, and the control device PLC is energized by the energizing lines K3 to K5. ing. Since the image processing unit 9 is interposed in the middle of the energization line K5, when the relay switch SW4 is opened as described above, the energization to the control device PLC is cut off and dust is loaded. The operation of the device will be stopped.

That is, an emergency stop device for stopping the operation of the dust loading device is configured by the central processing unit CPU of the image processing unit 9 and the relay switch SW4. In addition to functioning as an emergency stop device, the central processing unit CPU turns on the work light 8 while the image processing unit 9 is operating, and turns it off when it is not operating due to a failure or the like. It also functions as a lighting control unit that controls the on / off of the work light 8.

By turning off the work light 8 when the image processing unit 9 is not operating in this way, the worker (person H) who loads the garbage bag easily notices that the emergency stop device by image processing is not operating, and loads the garbage. Greater care will be taken not to get caught in the device. The image processing unit 9 also includes an image output unit VOP that receives a command from the central processing unit CPU and displays the result of image processing on the monitor 93, a camera control unit (not shown) that controls the camera 7. It is provided.

-Image processing routine-
The image processing unit DSP is a general integrated circuit that performs known image processing logic at high speed. For example, binarization processing of input image data and each pixel close to each other in the binarized image data. Labeling process to make the area of the object image, person identification process to identify that the area of the object image aread by labeling is a person image, and determination of whether the position of the object image identified as the person image is a dangerous area. Performs the person position determination process.

Specifically, the image processing routine will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 8. First, the binarization processing is performed in step S1 after the start. This is, for example, a process in which the maximum luminance value is set when the luminance value for each pixel of the input image data is equal to or more than a preset threshold value, and the minimum luminance value is set when the luminance value is less than the threshold value. Most of the effects of noise and changes in the amount of light are removed from the generated binarized image data.

While performing the binarization process in this way, the input image data is temporarily stored in the memory M, and the color information included in the input image data is used for the determination (step S3) of the hand of the person H, which will be described later. Alternatively, color binarization processing is also performed on the input image data, and the one in which the hue value for each pixel is within the preset range is extracted as the color information, while the other hue information is deleted. Good.

Next, in step S2, labeling processing is performed. This is to regionize pixels that are close to each other in the binarized image data. For example, it is a process that considers a plurality of pixels that belong to the same luminance value and are close to each other within a predetermined distance as one region. .. The labeling process is performed on the entire image plane, and each area is recognized as an object image.

Then, in the following step S3, the person identification process for each of the object images is performed. In the present embodiment, the camera 7 arranged above the dust inlet 4 captures the vicinity of the dust inlet 4 below, so that the image shows the person H as shown in FIG. 7 as an example. The head of is displayed large. Therefore, by referring to preset feature data of the head, for example, data indicating the size and shape thereof, an object image satisfying the conditions of the feature data is determined to be the head of the person H.

Further, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 10, in step S3, the feature data of the wristband LB worn on the wrist of the person H, that is, the color, shape, and size of the striped pattern SP (identification display) displayed therein. With reference to the data indicating the stripes, it is determined that the object image satisfying the condition of the feature data is the hand of the person H. Then, in step S4, it is determined whether or not the object image identified as the hand or the head of the person H is in a preset dangerous area.

In the present embodiment, the dangerous area differs between the hand and the head of the person H, and as shown in FIG. 7, the dangerous area is larger than the central boundary line B1 of the front edge portion 4a and the trailing edge portion 4b of the dust inlet 4. The front side, that is, the back side of the dust inlet 4, is regarded as the first area which is a dangerous area for the hand. Further, the area corresponding to the entire dust input port 4, that is, the area in front of the trailing edge portion 4b (boundary line B2) of the dust input port 4 is a second area which is a dangerous area for the head. ..

Then, it is determined whether or not the position coordinates of the pixels forming the outer shape of the object image (region) identified as the hand of the person H as described above are in front of the boundary line B1 of the first area. It is also determined whether or not the position coordinates of the pixels forming the outer shape of the object image (region) identified as the head of the person H as described above are in front of the boundary line B2 of the second area. In this way, it is determined whether or not the person H is in a dangerous area.

If it is positively determined that at least one of the hand and the head of the person H is in the dangerous area (first and second areas) (YES), the process proceeds to step S5 of the dust loading device. In order to stop the operation, a stop signal is output to the central processing unit CPU, and the image processing routine is terminated (end). On the other hand, if it is negatively determined that neither the hand nor the head of the person H is in the dangerous area (NO), the image processing routine is terminated without outputting the stop signal (end).

Then, when the stop signal is emitted from the image processing unit DSP, the central processing unit CPU that receives the stop signal receives the signal if the signal from the switch LS4 is on, that is, if the rotating plate 10 is in the dangerous angle range Z. , The relay switch SW4 is opened. That is, by energizing a relay coil (not shown) and opening the contact of the switch, the energization of the control device PLC by the energization line K5 is cut off.

As a result, the operation of the control device PLC is forcibly stopped, so that even if there is some abnormality in the control device PLC, the energization of all the solenoids SOLa to SOLd of the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 is stopped. Become. Therefore, all the electromagnetic control valves V1 and V2 in the first communication position or the second communication position return to the neutral position, and as a result, the operation of the hydraulic motor 13 and the push cylinder 24 is immediately stopped.

By executing step S3 of the flow of FIG. 8, the image processing unit DSP compares the feature data of the object image with the feature data of the hand or head of the person, and the object image is the hand or head of the person. By configuring a person identification unit for determining whether or not it represents, and further executing step S4, it is determined whether or not an object image representing a person's hand or head is in a predetermined area near the dust inlet. A person position determination unit is configured.

Although not shown, the image processing unit 9 can be connected to a computer device such as a general-purpose personal computer by a known method to set the color information of the wristband LB. That is, the image processing unit 9 is provided with an input setting program that inputs the hue value data set by the user and stores it in the memory M as the color information of the feature data. By executing this routine, the central processing unit 9 is provided. The CPU constitutes a color information setting unit that allows the user to set the color information of the feature data.

-Identification of a person's hand, etc.-
Next, a procedure for identifying a person's hand or head in steps S3 and S4 of the flow of FIG. 8 and determining whether or not they are in a dangerous area will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. To do. As described above, in the present embodiment, the camera 7 arranged above the dust inlet 4 is used to take a picture so as to look down on the vicinity of the dust inlet 4, and as shown in FIG. 7 above, the image is captured. The head of the person H is displayed large.

Therefore, in order to recognize that the person is H, it is conceivable to first identify the head of the person, but as described above with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the worker (person H) is the dust input port. When the garbage bag is put into No. 4, both arms may be extended diagonally forward and upward to load the garbage bag. Therefore, it is desirable to identify the hand rather than the head of the person H in order to prevent the hand from being caught in the dust loading device.

However, the shape of a human hand changes greatly depending on whether it is opened or closed, and the shape of the object image in the image changes greatly depending on the direction in which the image is taken. In addition, gloves or the like are worn. In some cases, this will also change the size. For this reason, it is considered extremely difficult to identify a human hand by image processing.

In consideration of such an actual situation, in the present embodiment, a wristband LB as shown in FIG. 10 is attached to the wrist of the operator, and the striped pattern SP (identification display) displayed so as to orbit the wristband LB. ), In particular, the color is referred to as feature data, thereby identifying the hand. In this way, the color of the striped pattern SP that orbits the wristband LB can be similarly identified even if the direction of the hand is changed.

Specifically, first, in step S31 after the start of the flow of FIG. 9, the feature data of the wristband LB set in advance, that is, the feature data indicating the color, size, shape, etc. of the striped pattern SP is obtained. With reference to this, it is determined whether or not the object image in the image satisfies the condition of this feature data. The color of the striped pattern SP is set in advance by the user and stored in the memory M of the image processing unit 9 so that the color of the striped pattern SP can be definitely distinguished from the body color of the garbage truck 100 and the color of the local garbage bag.

Then, if the color of the object image does not match the color of the striped pattern SP, it is negatively determined (NO) that the object image is not the hand of the person H, and the process proceeds to step S32 described later, and this time the object image is the person H. Judge whether it is the head or not. On the other hand, if the colors of the striped pattern SP match, it is determined affirmatively (YES) that the object image is the hand of the person H, and the process proceeds to step S41. At this time, not only the color information but also the shape and size of the object image may be used for the determination.

The process of step S41 corresponds to step S4 of the flow of FIG. 8, and determines whether or not the object image determined to be a hand as described above is in the first area. That is, as described above with reference to FIG. 7, if the object image identified as a hand is in front of the boundary line B1 near the center of the dust inlet 4, it is affirmed that the object is in the first area. Judgment (YES in step S41).

In this case, YES is determined in step S4 of the flow of FIG. 8, and the process proceeds to step S5. As described above, a stop signal is output to the central processing unit CPU in order to stop the operation of the dust loading device. To do. On the other hand, if it is negatively determined in step S41 that the object image is not in the first area (NO), the process proceeds to step S51 described later. That is, even if the object image is identified as a hand, the operation of the dust loading device is not stopped unless it is in the first area.

Further, in step S32, in which the color of the striped pattern SP of the wristband LB does not match in step S31 and the object image is negatively determined not to be a hand, the object image is the head of the person H this time. Judge whether or not. This refers to preset head feature data, that is, data indicating, for example, the size and shape of the head, the condition of the hair, and the size and shape of the attachment to the head and face. An object image that satisfies the condition of the feature data is tentatively determined to be the head of the person H (step S33).

The object image tentatively determined to be the head in this way is processed to be distinguished from other object images. That is, in the present embodiment, the change in the position of the object image is detected by the difference processing (processing for obtaining the difference in the brightness value for each pixel) of a plurality of image data input from the camera 7 in time series. Then, this change in position, that is, the moving distance of the object image, is divided by the time required for it (the time interval for acquiring the image data) to calculate the moving speed of the object image.

In step S34, it is determined whether or not the moving speed calculated in this way is equal to or less than a preset threshold value. This threshold value is set in advance by an experiment or the like so that the moving speed of the head of the worker who throws the dust into the dust throwing port 4 and the moving speed of the thrown dust can be distinguished. Therefore, if the calculated movement speed is higher than the threshold value, it is determined that the movement speed is not the head of the person H because the movement is too fast, a negative determination is made, and (NO) the process proceeds to step S51 described later.

On the other hand, if it is determined affirmatively that the moving speed is equal to or less than the threshold value in step S34 (YES), it is determined that the object image is the head of the person H (main determination), and the process proceeds to step S42. The process of step S42 corresponds to step S4 of the flow of FIG. 8, and whether the object image determined to be the head as described above is in the second area described above with reference to FIG. It is to judge whether or not.

Then, if the object image identified as the head is in front of the trailing edge 4b (boundary line B2) of the dust inlet 4, it is determined affirmatively that it is in the second area (YES in step S42). ). In this case, YES is determined in step S4 of the flow of FIG. 8, and the process proceeds to step S5. As described above, a stop signal is output to the central processing unit CPU in order to stop the operation of the dust loading device. To do.

On the other hand, if it is negatively determined in step S42 that the object image is not in the second area, the process proceeds to (NO) step S51, and all the object images in the image have the above-mentioned hands and head. It is determined whether or not the identification has been completed, and if the determination is negative (NO), the process returns to step S31 and the above-described procedure is repeated. On the other hand, if all the object images have been identified, an affirmative determination (YES) is made in step S51, and the routine ends.

-Switch for energizing line-
As described above, in the dust collecting vehicle 100 of the present embodiment, the image data from the camera 7 that captures the vicinity of the dust input port 4 is input to the image processing unit 9, and it is determined that the person H is in the dangerous area. For example, the operation of the dust loading device is stopped. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the image processing unit 9 itself is interposed in the energizing line K5 to the control device PLC, and when the operation of the dust loading device is stopped, the image processing unit 9 is provided. The relay switch SW4 is opened to cut off the energization.

Since the operation of the control device PLC is stopped by shutting off the energization in this way, even if some abnormality occurs in the control device PLC itself, it is not affected by it. Further, since the image processing unit 9 itself is interposed in the energizing line K5, there is no problem of wiring trouble between the image processing unit 9 and the control device PLC, and the dust loading device is more reliable. Can be stopped.

However, since the image processing unit 9 itself is interposed in the energizing line K5 to the control device PLC, a failure has occurred in the image processing unit 9 and a stop signal has not been issued from the image processing unit DSP. However, when the central processing unit CPU opens the relay switch SW4, the energization of the control device PLC by the energization line K5 remains cut off, and the dust loading device cannot be operated.

Further, for example, even if an attempt is made to operate the dust loading device during maintenance, if a technician or the like is in a dangerous area near the dust input port 4, the image processing unit 9 cuts off the energization of the control device PLC. It is also possible that the dust loading device cannot be operated. If the dust loading device cannot be operated during maintenance in this way, convenience is significantly impaired.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a bypass line K6 that bypasses the image processing unit 9 and connects to the control device PLC is provided in the energization line K5 to the control device PLC. Then, by the changeover switch SWS provided in the energization line K5, the control device PLC is energized via the image processing unit 9 and the control device PLC is energized via the bypass line K6 as shown in FIG. I try to switch.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, normally, the changeover switch SWS is switched so as to energize the image processing unit 9, and the relay switch SW4 inside the image processing unit 9 is closed. The control device PLC is energized via the processing unit 9. Then, if it is determined that the person H is in the dangerous area as described above, the energization to the control device PLC is cut off by opening the relay switch SW4.

On the other hand, as described above, when the relay switch SW4 is opened due to the failure of the image processing unit 9 and the energization to the control device PLC remains cut off, or when maintenance is performed, an engineer performs a dust input port. When you want to operate the dust loading device even if you are in the vicinity of 4, switch the changeover switch SWS to the bypass line K6 as shown in FIG. 11 and energize the control device PLC without going through the image processing unit 9. Let me.

By doing so, even if the energization is cut off due to the failure of the image processing unit 9 as described above, it is determined by the image processing that the technician performing the maintenance is in a dangerous area near the dust inlet 4. Even if an unnecessary interruption of energization occurs, the control device PLC can be energized by the bypass line K6 to operate the dust loading device. Therefore, convenience can be enhanced.

As described above, in the person recognition device of the garbage truck according to the present embodiment, first, the camera 7 is arranged above the dust input port 4 in the dust input box 3 at the rear of the vehicle body, and the dust input port 4 below. Take a picture of the vicinity of. Then, the image data from the camera 7 is input to the image processing unit 9, and if it is determined by the image processing that the person H is in a dangerous area, the operation of the dust loading device is stopped.

Then, when recognizing the person H in the vicinity of the dust input port 4 based on the image data obtained by the camera 7, in the present embodiment, the work light 8 provided below the camera 7 is turned on, and the person H ( For example, the light is radiated toward the worker who loads the dust. By disposing it below the camera 7 in this way, it is possible to suppress the contamination of the work light 8 due to rain and wind, and to stably irradiate the light.

Further, in the present embodiment, the work light 8 is provided so as to irradiate the person H with light substantially parallel to the optical axis A of the image pickup lens 70 of the camera 7, whereby the person H is photographed in the direction of shooting. It will illuminate almost from the front. Therefore, even if the posture is slightly changed, the appearance does not change significantly, and the change in the object image in the captured image is not so large, so that the recognition failure or misidentification of the person H is suppressed.

Further, the feature data of the object image in the image thus captured is compared with the feature data of the hand of the person H. Since this feature data includes the color information of the wristband LB, even if the hand of the person H opens or closes and its shape changes significantly, the size can be increased by wearing gloves or the like. Even if it changes, it can be identified as a hand regardless of it. If the object image determined to be a hand is in the first area on the back side of the dust inlet 4, the safety can be ensured by stopping the operation of the dust loading device.

Further, in the present embodiment, not only the hand of the person H but also the head of the person H is identified, and if this is in the second area corresponding to the entire dust inlet 4, the dust loading device Safety can be ensured by stopping the operation of.

Furthermore, when the person H in the vicinity of the dust input port 4 is recognized by the image processing in this way, the work light 8 is turned on, while the work light 8 is turned off when the image processing unit 9 is out of order such as a failure. Will be done. Therefore, the worker (person H) easily notices that the emergency stop device by image processing does not operate and pays more attention to it, which is preferable in suppressing an accident. In particular, in the present embodiment, since the work light 8 is arranged below the camera 7, it is easy to visually recognize its on / off.

In addition, in the present embodiment, if the image processing unit 9 itself is interposed in the energizing line K5 to the control device PLC of the dust loading device and it is determined by image processing that the person H is in a dangerous area, the image processing unit By opening the relay switch SW4 of 9 and shutting off the energization, the dust loading device can be stopped more reliably. Moreover, the changeover switch SWS can be operated as needed to bypass the image processing unit 9 and energize the control device PLC to operate the dust loading device, which is highly convenient.

Further, in the present embodiment, not only the person H is determined to be in the dangerous area as described above, but also the rotating plate 10 of the dust loading device is brought into the dangerous angle range Z by the signal from the limit switch LS4. When it is determined that there is, the operation of the dust loading device is stopped. That is, if the rotating plate 10 is outside the dangerous angle range Z, there is no risk of being caught by the rotating plate 10, so that even if the person H is in the dangerous area at this time, the operation of the dust loading device is not stopped. As a result, it is possible to suppress unnecessary operation stoppage of the dust loading device.

-Other embodiments-
The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but since this is only one specific example and does not particularly limit the present invention, the specific configuration and the like can be appropriately redesigned. is there. For example, in the above embodiment, the color of the striped pattern SP of the wristband LB worn on the wrist of the worker is used as feature data to identify the hand by image processing, and the head of the worker is also identified. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the head of the worker may not be identified, or the wristband LB may be attached to the foot in addition to the hand so that the foot can be identified by the color of the striped SP. May be good.

Alternatively, the glove worn by the operator may be provided with an identification display such as the striped pattern SP to identify the glove, or the glove itself may be identified based on the color of the glove itself. You may. Similarly, the shoes worn by the operator on the foot may be provided with an identification mark to identify the shoes, or the shoes may be identified based on the color of the shoes themselves.

Furthermore, it is not necessary to identify the worker's hands and feet based on the characteristics of the attachments to those hands and feet (wristband LB, gloves, shoes, etc.), and the worker's face and head are used as the characteristic data. You may just identify based on.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the work light 8 is arranged below the camera 7 and is irradiated with light along the optical axis A of the image pickup lens 70. However, this is not necessary and the work is performed. The lights 8 may be arranged above or to the left or right of the camera 7, or may be arranged to the left or right of the conventional dust input port 4. It is not necessary to turn on the work light 8 when the image processing unit 9 is operating and turn it off when the image processing unit 9 is not operating as in the above embodiment.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the garbage truck 100 equipped with the so-called rotary dust loading device is described, and the main parts of the dust loading device are the rotating plate 10 and the pushing plate. Although it is composed of 20, the main part of the dust loading device may be composed of an elevating plate and a pushing plate, and the structure is not particularly limited.

100 Garbage truck 1 Chassis 2 Dust storage box 3 Dust input box 4 Dust input port 7 Camera 9 Image processing unit (image processing device)
10 Rotating plate (loading member: dust loading device)
13 Hydraulic motor (dust loading device)
20 Push-in plate (dust loading device)
24 Push-in cylinder (dust loading device)
60, 61 Emergency stop button 62 Emergency stop plate H Central processing unit of person CPU image processing unit (cutoff control unit: energization cutoff unit)
K5 Predetermined energization line K6 Bypass line LS4 Limit switch (Sensor for detecting that the loading member is operating near the dust inlet)
PLC Dust loading device control device SW1 to SW3 Switch SW4 that opens and closes in response to an operation such as an emergency stop button SW4 Relay switch of the image processing unit (Switch provided in the energization line: energization cutoff unit)
SWS changeover switch

Claims (5)

If the image processing device that takes a picture of the vicinity of the dust input port of the dust collection vehicle with a camera and inputs the image data determines that a person is in a predetermined area near the dust input port, the dust loading device is activated. It is an emergency stop device for a dust collection vehicle that is supposed to be stopped.
The garbage truck is equipped with a control device that controls the operation of the dust loading device, and this control device is provided by a predetermined energizing line when the dust loading device is performing the dust loading operation. It is configured to stop the dust loading device when it is energized and this energization is cut off.
The energization line is provided with an energization cutoff unit that interrupts the energization of the control device when it is determined that a person is present in the predetermined area, and the energization cutoff unit and the energization cutoff unit. An emergency stop device for a garbage truck, characterized in that a changeover switch is provided to switch between a bypass line that bypasses this and enables energization of the control device. The power cutoff unit comprises a switch provided in the power supply line and a cutoff control unit that opens the switch to cut off the power supply when it is determined that a person is present in the predetermined area. The emergency stop device for the garbage truck according to 1. A sensor for detecting that the loading member of the dust loading device is operating in the vicinity of the dust loading port is provided.
The cutoff controller, it is determined that the person is in a predetermined area by said image processing apparatus, and the dust inlet from the bottom of the front edge of the loading member on the basis of a signal from the sensor is the dust inlet The emergency stop of the dust collecting vehicle according to claim 2, which is configured to open the switch to shut off the energization when it is determined that the vehicle is operating within a range close to the trailing edge portion. apparatus. An emergency stop button is provided near the dust inlet.
The emergency stop device for a garbage truck according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a switch that opens and closes in response to an operation of the emergency stop button is provided in the energizing line. The dust loading device is installed inside the dust loading box having the dust loading port opened on the back surface.
The camera is arranged on the back surface of the dust input box above the dust input port.
The image processing device also includes an image output unit that displays an image taken by the camera and a determination result that a person is present in the predetermined area on a monitor arranged around the driver's seat. A garbage truck equipped with the emergency stop device according to any one of 1 to 4.

Images