JP7398627B2 - Construction machinery control system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a construction machine control system for controlling construction machines.

Traditionally, in marine construction and seawall construction, it has been an issue to ensure the workability and safety of divers working underwater.For example, in Patent Document 1, divers use machinery to perform construction work underwater. An underwater work support system that provides support during operation is disclosed.

Specifically, while machines that work underwater are equipped with visible light receivers, visible light transmitters are also installed on equipment for underwater workers, allowing underwater workers to operate the machinery using underwater visible light. This will be carried out through communication. This allows underwater workers to maintain a sufficient distance from the machine, reducing the risk of coming into contact with or getting caught in the machine, or getting entangled in the machine, such as getting entangled in wiring. can.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-78791

However, when operating a machine using underwater visible light communication, the communication status tends to depend on the turbidity of the water, and when the water is cloudy, the communication distance becomes extremely short, for example, about 1 meter. In order to perform work under extremely short communication distances, underwater workers have no choice but to operate the equipment close to the equipment, which increases the work burden on underwater workers and makes it difficult to ensure safety. Become.

Under these circumstances, systems that use underwater acoustic communication to control construction machinery that performs work underwater are being considered. Underwater acoustic communication is a wireless communication method that has the potential to stably control construction machinery at work sites in various water environments, regardless of water quality.

However, when a wave transmitter and a wave receiver are placed underwater, a relative speed difference is likely to occur due to shaking caused by waves, currents, etc. For this reason, it is known that when a sound wave transmitted from a wave transmitter is received by a wave receiver, a phenomenon called Doppler shift occurs in which the frequency band of the sound wave changes.

In addition, due to interference between sound waves that have passed through multiple propagation paths such as reflection and diffraction on the seabed or seawall, the reception strength when the sound waves are received by a wave receiver fluctuates, which is called multifading. Phenomena also occur. Furthermore, since underwater noise also exists, it is difficult to minimize these influences and ensure stability in underwater acoustic communication.

The present invention was made in view of such problems, and its main purpose is to ensure communication stability when controlling construction machinery using wireless communication technology, regardless of the work environment. Our goal is to provide a control system for construction machinery.

In order to achieve such an object, the construction machine control system of the present invention is a construction machine control system for controlling the construction machine using magnetic field communication, the system comprising: a command for transmitting command information to the construction machine; an information transmitting device; and a machine control device that is equipped on the construction machine and receives the command information transmitted from the command information transmitting device, and controls the construction machine based on the command information, The information transmission device includes a group of electromagnets in which a coil is wound around an iron core and is arranged in series, and a transmitter that generates a magnetic field in a state corresponding to the command information by the group of electromagnets. comprises a pair of coils arranged in series with opposite windings, and a receiver that changes the voltage of the pair of coils according to the state of the magnetic field when the transmitter approaches; and a signal detection unit configured to detect the command information.

According to the control system for construction machinery of the present invention, since magnetic field communication is used as a wireless communication means, the transmitter of the command information transmitting device and the receiver of the machine control device can be placed either in the air or underwater. It also becomes possible to stably control construction machinery.

In particular, when working with construction machinery underwater, if a transmitter that sends command information is placed near the receiver, magnetic field communication can be performed with the machine control device installed on the construction machinery. be able to. Therefore, the site worker can input command information for controlling the construction machine to the command information transmitting device while being on board the ship or on land. Therefore, it is possible to improve the workability and safety of on-site workers, such as by reducing the diving time of underwater workers such as divers or by saving the number of underwater workers.

Furthermore, construction machinery can be stably controlled at work sites with various water environments, regardless of water quality. Therefore, even in water with high turbidity, divers and other underwater workers can safely control construction machinery while maintaining a certain distance between themselves and the construction machinery. Become.

In the construction machine control system of the present invention, the transmitter includes an electromagnet, and periodically changes the direction of a current flowing through the electromagnet to generate a magnetic field in a state corresponding to the command information. It is characterized by

According to the control system for construction machinery of the present invention, by using a pair of coils that are oriented in opposite directions, it is possible to detect changes in voltage due to the influence of geomagnetism and remove this as noise. Therefore, it becomes possible to detect command information more accurately based on voltage changes.

According to the present invention, since magnetic field communication is used as the wireless communication means used to control construction machinery, it is possible to safely control construction machinery even if the work site is in an environment such as underwater or underwater. becomes.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how an underwater suspended load turning device is controlled using a control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram (part 1) showing an outline of magnetic field communication in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing magnetic field communication in the embodiment of the present invention (Part 2). FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing magnetic field communication in the embodiment of the present invention (part 3). 1 is a diagram schematically showing a control system for construction machinery in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an electrical signal corresponding to an operation command for a construction machine in an embodiment of the present invention.

The control system of the present invention can be adopted in either the air or underwater (aquatic environments such as the ocean, rivers, lakes, etc.), but in this embodiment, it is applicable to the case where it is adopted in the ocean among aquatic environments. Taking an example, details of a control system for construction machinery will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

Further, there are no restrictions on construction machinery that works underwater, but in this embodiment, an underwater suspended load turning device is adopted, and this underwater suspended load turning device is used to carry out underwater civil engineering work. Let us take as an example the case of installing concrete blocks, which is one of the methods.

As shown in FIG. 1, a concrete block B scheduled to be installed on the seabed is suspended underwater by a crane 61 mounted on a hoist ship 60 via an underwater suspension and rotation device 50.

When installing a concrete block B such as a tetrapod or a foot protection block on the seabed, the underwater suspended load turning device 50 controls the posture of the suspended concrete block B, such as changing direction and maintaining the posture by turning. This is a device for making fine adjustments during positioning underwater. In addition, please refer to Japanese Patent No. 5970946 for the principle of attitude control by the underwater suspended load turning device 50.

The underwater suspended load turning device 50 described above has a shackle 52 on the upper surface of the outer shell 51 for attaching the wire 62 hanging from the crane 61 of the hoist ship 60, and a concrete block B on the lower surface of the outer shell 51. A hanging jig 53 for hanging is provided respectively. Thereby, the underwater suspended load turning device 50 is suspended into the water via the wire 62 attached to the shackle 52, with the concrete block B suspended by the hanging jig 53.

When installing the concrete block B on the seabed, the position and posture of the concrete block B are checked visually by an underwater worker D such as a diver, or by a monitoring camera installed underwater, and the concrete block B is suspended underwater. By rotating the cargo turning device 50, attitude control such as changing the direction of the concrete block B is performed.

After finely adjusting the attitude control and positioning of the concrete block B, the operator of the crane 61 lets out the wire 62, lowers the underwater lifting swing device 50 and the concrete block B, and places the concrete block B on the seabed. wear.

In such installation work of the concrete block B by underwater work, the control system 100 is controlled by an underwater worker D such as a diver or a floating worker S on board the hoist boat 60. This is done using magnetic field communication.

The details of the control system 100 will be explained below using an example in which the field worker who operates the underwater load turning device 50 is a surface worker S on board a hoist vessel 60, as shown in FIG. do.

≪Overview of magnetic field communication≫
Before explaining the details of the control system 100, an outline of magnetic field communication used as a wireless communication means will be explained.

It is generally known that when an electromagnet is brought close to a coil through which a current flows, the voltage of the coil changes in proportion to the change in the magnetic field within a certain period of time. Magnetic field communication uses changes in this voltage to perform communication.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2(a), a pair of coils 211 is prepared in the receiver 21, and a constant current is passed through each to generate a stable magnetic field in the coils 211a and 211b. . Further, the coils 211a and 211b are wound in opposite directions and arranged in series.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2(b), the transmitter 16 is equipped with an electromagnet group 161 in which electromagnets 161a each having a coil 163 wound around an iron core 162 are arranged in series, and a current (alternating current wave) is passed through this. Generate a magnetic field.

As a result of intensive studies through experiments and the like, the inventor found that a configuration in which the electromagnets 161a are arranged in series as shown in FIG. It is not limited. For example, the number of electromagnets 161a constituting the electromagnet group 161 may be arbitrary, and a plurality of coils 163 may be provided on one iron core 162.

The transmitter 16 and the receiver 21, in which magnetic fields are generated with each other in this manner, are brought close to each other by a predetermined distance. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(a), under the influence of the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet group 161 on the transmitter 16 side, the magnetic field of each of the two coils 211 on the receiver 21 side changes from the stable state. Change to an unstable state.

In other words, when the number of magnetic fluxes changes from a stable state due to disturbance, the current flowing through the pair of coils 211 also changes accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3(b). , a change appears in the voltage of each of the coils 211a and 211b. Note that since the coils 211a and 211b have electric wires wound in opposite directions, when one of the coils increases, the voltage of the other decreases.

In this way, it can be determined that the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet group 161 on the transmitter 16 side influenced the coil 211 on the receiver 21 side by measuring the difference in voltage (potential difference) between each of the pair of coils 211. , can be identified.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3(c), the current is controlled by periodically changing the direction of the current flowing through the electromagnet 161a on the transmitter 16 side. As shown, different disturbances are caused in the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet group 161. When the electromagnet group 161 that has generated these magnetic fields with different disturbance states is brought close to the pair of coils 211, the magnetic fields of the coils 211a and 211b are also unstable (magnetic flux) in different ways corresponding to the magnetic fields generated by the electromagnet group 161. (number changes).

In other words, when the electromagnet group 161 on the transmitter side 16 generates a plurality of patterns of disturbed magnetic fields, the coil 211 on the receiver side 21 generates a different potential difference for each of these patterns. Therefore, the receiver 21 can identify the pattern of the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet group 161 on the transmitter 16 side based on the potential difference.

Therefore, in this embodiment, at least four patterns of magnetic fields with different disturbance states are generated in advance by controlling the current flowing through the electromagnet group 161 on the transmitter 16 side. Then, these four patterns are associated with at least four operation commands (clockwise rotation, counterclockwise rotation, stop, neutral) necessary when the field worker S operates the underwater suspended load turning device 50.

On the other hand, the receiver side 21 grasps the potential difference corresponding to each of the four patterns of magnetic fields, which are measured when the four patterns of magnetic fields corresponding to these operation commands approach the pair of coils 211. . Further, these four patterns of potential differences are associated with the four operation commands (clockwise rotation, counterclockwise rotation, stop, neutral).

As a result, for example, when the field worker S wants to rotate the underwater suspended load turning device 50 clockwise, the electromagnet group 161 on the transmitter 16 side is set to a state corresponding to clockwise rotation among the four patterns of magnetic fields with different disturbances. generates a magnetic field. Then, the transmitter 16 is brought close to the receiver 21 for a certain period of time.

Then, among the four patterns of potential differences from the pair of coils 211 on the receiver 21 side, the potential difference that occurs when influenced by a magnetic field in a state corresponding to clockwise rotation is measured. Thereby, it can be determined from the measured potential difference that the operation command issued from the transmitter 16 side is clockwise rotation. In this way, the exchange of operation commands necessary for the field worker S to operate the underwater suspended load turning device 50 is accomplished through magnetic field communication.

Note that the pair of coils 211 on the receiver 21 side are always under the influence of earth's magnetism, but this can be removed by winding the pair of coils 211 in opposite directions. For example, if the receiver 21 is rotated while the electromagnet group 16 on the transmitter 16 side is sufficiently far away, a change occurs in the voltage of each of the coils 211a and 211b.

At this time, if the amount of increase in voltage in coil 211a and the amount of decrease in voltage in coil 211b are the same amount, this can be estimated to be a change due to the influence of earth's magnetism. Therefore, by removing these as noises due to the earth's magnetic field, it becomes possible to more accurately detect command information based on the potential difference.

≪Control system≫
The details of the control system 100 using magnetic field communication described above will be described below.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the control system 100 includes a command information transmitting device 10 through which a waterworker S transmits command information M to the underwater suspended load turning device 50, and a command information transmitting device 10 for receiving the command information and a mechanical control device 20 that controls the underwater suspended load turning device 50.

<Command information transmission device>
As shown in FIG. 5, the command information transmitting device 10 includes a command input section 11, a signal output section 12, a pattern storage section 13, an amplifier circuit 14, an S/N switching circuit 15, and a transmitter 16. Note that the transmitter 16 includes an electromagnet group 161, as described in <<Overview of Magnetic Field Communication>>.

The command input unit 11 includes an input unit through which the floating worker S inputs an operation command for the underwater suspended load turning device 50 in order to control the attitude of the concrete block B. Any input unit may be used, but for example, it may be equipped with a display, and a selection menu related to the four operation commands of "clockwise rotation", "counterclockwise rotation", "stop", and "neutral" displayed on the display may be displayed. I'll keep it. Thereby, the floating worker S can input an operation command for the underwater suspended load turning device 50 by appropriately performing a selection operation from the selection menu.

In addition, the command input unit 11 has a function of converting the operation command selected from the selection menu into a digital signal, converting the operation command by the water worker S into command information M, and converting the operation command by the water worker S into command information M, The signal is output to the signal output section 12.

The signal output section 12 extracts a magnetic field in a state corresponding to the command information M from among four patterns of magnetic fields stored in a pattern storage section 13, which will be described later, and outputs it to the amplifier circuit 14. The four patterns of magnetic fields are disordered magnetic fields generated by the electromagnet group 161, as described in <<Outline of Magnetic Field Communication>>.

The pattern storage unit 13 stores in advance four command information M (clockwise rotation, counterclockwise rotation, stop, neutral) and information regarding four patterns of magnetic fields generated by the electromagnet group 161 corresponding thereto. Further, information regarding the four patterns of magnetic fields and information regarding a method of controlling the current applied to the electromagnet group 161 in order to generate the four patterns are associated and stored. Note that in this embodiment, by periodically changing the direction of the current flowing through the electromagnet 161, four patterns of magnetic fields with different disturbance states are generated.

A specific example is shown in Figure 6. FIG. 6 shows four patterns of magnetic fields generated by changing the direction of the current applied to the electromagnet group 161 on the transmitter 16 side at four different periods (t1 to t4), and bringing them close to the coil 211 on the receiver 21 side. 2 shows an electric signal related to the potential difference output from the coil 211 in the case of FIG. Looking at this, it can be seen that the electrical signals output from the receiver 21 side also have different periods (t1 to t4), and four operation commands are identified. In addition, the longest period t1 is "hold", and thereafter the period gradually becomes smaller, and the period t2 is "neutral", the period t3 is "left", and the shortest period t4 is "right". There is.

The amplifier circuit 14 amplifies the command information M output from the signal output section 12 and outputs it to the S/N switching circuit 15. Note that the command information M includes information regarding the pattern of the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet group 161 extracted from the pattern storage unit 13, and information regarding the current required to generate this magnetic field (information regarding the period for changing the direction of the current). information) are associated.

The S/N switching circuit 15 periodically changes the direction of the current flowing through the electromagnet group 161 provided in the transmitter 16 based on the information regarding the current associated with the command information M, and eliminates the disturbance corresponding to the command information M. Generate a magnetic field in the state.

With the above configuration, a turbulent magnetic field is formed in the electromagnet group 161 provided in the transmitter 16 in accordance with the operation command input by the water worker S into the command input unit 11. Therefore, the transmitter 16 in this state is brought close to the receiver 21 of the machine control device 20 installed in the underwater suspended load turning device 50.

Note that if the state in which the transmitter 16 is brought close to the receiver 21 continues for a certain period of time, the coil 211 on the receiver 21 side changes from an unstable state to a stable state, making it impossible to grasp the potential difference. Therefore, before the voltage of the coil 211 becomes stable, it is preferable to perform control such as turning on and off the power on the transmitter 16 side or changing the distance between the two.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the transmitter 16 may be suspended in the water using a float 63, or may be suspended directly in the water from the hoist boat 60. Further, the command input section 11, the signal output section 12, the pattern storage section 13, the amplifier circuit 14, and the S/N switching circuit 15 are preferably installed in the hoist ship 60. Further, although the S/N switching circuit 15 and the transmitter 16 are connected by wire, they may be connected wirelessly.

<Machine control device>
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the machine control device 20 is installed in the outer shell 51 of the underwater suspended cargo turning device 50, and its configuration is as shown in FIG. 2, including a receiver 21, an amplifier circuit 22, It includes an A/D converter 23, a signal detection section 24, a signal storage section 25, and a control section 26. Note that the receiver 21 includes a pair of coils 211, as described in <<Overview of Magnetic Field Communication>>.

The amplifier circuit 22 amplifies signal information related to the potential difference output from the coil 211 of the receiver 21 and outputs it to the A/D converter 23 . Further, the A/D converter 23 converts signal information, which is an analog signal, into a digital signal and outputs it to the signal detection section 24.

The signal detection unit 24 extracts command information M stored in a signal storage unit 25 (described later) that corresponds to the electrical signal input via the amplifier circuit 22, and outputs it to the control unit 26. The control unit 26 then controls the operation of the underwater suspended load turning device 50 based on the input command information M.

Note that the signal storage unit 25 stores information regarding the digitized electrical signal output from the amplifier circuit 22 and four corresponding command information M (clockwise rotation, counterclockwise rotation, stop, neutral). .

In this way, the control system 100 utilizes magnetic field communication, and uses the operation command of the surface worker S for the underwater suspended load turning device 50, which is input to the command information transmitting device 10, as the command information M for the machine control device 20 working underwater. It becomes possible to control the operation of the underwater suspended load turning device 50 based on the command information M.

As described above, in the control system 100, if the transmitter 16 that transmits the command information M is placed near the receiver 21, magnetic field communication is performed with the machine control device 20 provided in the underwater suspended load turning device 50. be able to. Therefore, the field worker can input the command information M for controlling the underwater suspended cargo turning device 50 to the command information transmitting device 10 while being on a ship or on land, even if he is not underwater.

This makes it possible to improve the workability and safety of on-site workers, such as by reducing the diving time of underwater workers S such as divers, or by saving the number of workers S. Further, the underwater suspended load turning device 50 can be stably controlled at work sites in various water environments without depending on water quality or the like. Therefore, even in water with high turbidity, an underwater worker S such as a diver can safely work underwater while maintaining a certain distance from the underwater cargo turning device 50. 50 controls can be performed.

The construction machine control system 100 of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in this embodiment, receiver 21 needs to be provided at a distance from the conductive material. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 1, the receiver is placed a predetermined distance away from the underwater suspended load turning device 50 via the receiver mount 212. However, the arrangement position may be either above or below the underwater suspended load turning device 50, and the receiver mounting tool 212 may also be made of any non-conductive material.

Further, the number thereof is not limited, and for example, one unit may be provided on the central axis in the vertical direction of the underwater suspended load turning device 50, or as shown in FIG. Two units may be provided. Providing two units in this way makes it possible to remove the influence of magnetic fields in the surrounding environment as noise.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, if there is a reinforced concrete revetment R in the vicinity of the underwater suspended load turning device 50, the voltage of the coil 211 provided in the receiver 21 will fluctuate due to the influence of reinforcing bars, etc., but will remain constant. As time passes, the noise stabilizes due to the influence of reinforcing bars, etc.

However, by providing two receivers 21 on both sides of the underwater suspended load turning device 50 and comparing the two, it is also possible to detect and remove noise contained in the voltage. This makes it possible to minimize the influence of the presence of conductive materials in the surrounding environment and ensure stable communication accuracy in magnetic field communication.

Further, in this embodiment, details have been explained using an example of the underwater suspended load turning device 50 as a construction machine, but the invention is not limited to this, and the construction machine may be used when controlling a construction machine that performs work on the ground or in the air. It is also possible to use

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pair of coils 211 wound in opposite directions are provided in the receiver 21. However, the number is not limited, and a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of paired coils 211 are provided. The pair of coils 211 provided in the receiver 21 may be arranged in series in any direction, such as the vertical direction or the horizontal direction.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the direction of the current applied to the electromagnet group 161 on the transmitter 16 side is changed at four different periods (t1 to t4) to generate four patterns of disturbed magnetic fields. However, the generation method is not limited to this, and any means that can generate a disturbed magnetic field may be used, such as changing the intensity of the voltage or turning the power on and off at regular intervals. may also be used.

In addition, in this embodiment, both the transmitter 16 and the receiver 21 are placed underwater, but the present invention is not limited to this. Both may be placed in the air, or one may be placed in the sea and the other in the air.

Further, in the present embodiment, the transmitter 16 is provided with the electromagnet group 161, but any magnet may be used as long as it can form a magnetic field, and the coil 211 provided in the receiver 21 also has a magnetic flux Any sensor may be used as long as it functions like a sensor that detects changes in voltage as changes in voltage.

100 Control system 10 Command information transmission device 11 Command input section 12 Signal output section 13 Pattern storage section 14 Amplifier circuit 15 S/N switching circuit 16 Transmitter 161 Electromagnet group 161a Electromagnet 162 Iron core 163 Coil 20 Machine control device 21 Receiver 211 Coil 212 Receiver mount 22 Amplifier circuit 23 A/D converter 24 Signal detection section 25 Signal storage section 26 Control section 50 Underwater suspended load turning device (construction machinery)
51 Outer shell 52 Shackle 53 Hanging jig 60 Hoist boat 61 Crane 62 Wire 63 Float B Concrete block R Seawall S Surface worker D Underwater worker M Command information

Claims (2)

A construction machine control system for controlling construction machines using magnetic field communication, the system comprising:
a command information transmitting device that transmits command information for the construction machine;
a machine control device that is installed on the construction machine, receives the command information transmitted from the command information transmission device, and controls the construction machine based on the command information;
Equipped with
The command information transmitting device includes a transmitter that includes an electromagnet group in which electromagnets each having a coil wound around an iron core are arranged in series, and that generates a magnetic field in a state corresponding to the command information by the electromagnet group ,
The machine control device includes a pair of coils arranged in series with opposite windings, and a receiver that changes the voltage of the pair of coils according to the state of the magnetic field when the transmitter approaches; A control system for construction machinery, comprising: a signal detection section that detects the command information based on a change in voltage. The construction machine control system according to claim 1,
the transmitter comprises an electromagnet;
A control system for construction machinery, characterized in that a magnetic field in a state corresponding to the command information is generated by periodically changing the direction of a current flowing through the electromagnet.

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