KR20100073477A - Appratus for controlling to avoid obstruction in construction equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A device for controlling avoidance of obstacles for construction equipment is provided to minimize energy consumption by changing a motion path of a working device, and to improve work efficiency by automatically avoiding obstacles. CONSTITUTION: A device for controlling avoidance of obstacles for construction equipment comprises a working device, a working device drive unit(30), an operation signal input unit(304), and a device control unit(300). The working device comprises a front part which has a bucket(320), an arm(318), and a boom(316), an upper moving body(322), and a sensor. The working device drive unit drives the working device depending on a control signal. The operation signal input unit receives an input for operating the working device from a worker. The device control unit changes an obstacle avoidable motion path into a motion path with minimized energy consumption.

Description

Obstacle Avoidance Control Device in Construction Equipments {APPRATUS FOR CONTROLLING TO AVOID OBSTRUCTION IN CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT}

The present invention relates to an obstacle avoidance control apparatus for construction equipment, and more particularly, to an obstacle avoidance control apparatus for automatically avoiding obstacles existing on an optimal movement path of construction equipment.

Among the general construction equipment, the turning system construction equipment is installed so that the upper body can freely turn on the lower body. When operating the equipment main body there is a case of turning the upper swinging body or the backward of the equipment main body, in this case there is a place where the operator who is sitting in the driver's seat and is working hard to see. In this case, the operator is driving while looking at the rearview mirror or directly looking back, but there is a limit to such a check, and there is a possibility that it may come in contact with an obstacle around it in some cases.

As a result, a surveillance camera was installed at the rear of the upper swing structure, and the surveillance camera was checked so that obstacles could be identified.In this case, the operator not only had to drive while watching the monitor but also the obstacle identified by the monitor. As to the distance between the two, it is necessary to rely on the feeling of the operator, which is not enough to avoid the contact of obstacles.

To solve this problem, a warning technique has been developed to stop the turning drive if an obstacle exists within the turning radius.

Such warning technology is not only inconvenient to proceed with the operation only after the manual operation by removing the obstacle off the warning function (Off), or removing the obstacle, but also causes a problem that the work efficiency decreases accordingly.

Recently, a technology for remotely controlling a work device of construction equipment through a remote device at a certain distance from the construction equipment is being developed.

However, if the turning configuration is stopped as in the above warning technique according to the obstacle detection during the remote control, the operator can take advantage of the remote control if there is a case where the operation must be performed again after directly removing the obstacle. There will be no.

As described above, when an operator is directly seated on the construction equipment to operate the work device through the lever, and remotely to operate the work device of the construction equipment, if there is an obstacle on the moving path of the work device, it can be automatically avoided. Technology development is urgently needed.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide an obstacle avoidance control device that can improve the work efficiency by automatically avoiding obstacles when there is a topographic fixed obstacle or sudden human / physical obstacles on the working path in the construction equipment. .

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an obstacle avoidance control apparatus in construction equipment, including a front portion including a bucket, an arm, and a boom, and an upper swing structure. A work device equipped with a plurality of sensors for sensing an object in the front part, a work device driver for driving the work device according to a control signal, an operation signal input unit for receiving input for operating the work device from an operator, When a predetermined operation signal of the work device is input from the manipulation signal input unit, the shortest movement path is generated and the presence or absence of an obstacle on the generated movement path is detected through the plurality of sensors. Controller controls to change the path of work equipment to minimize energy consumption among the motion paths It characterized in that it comprises.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of sensors for detecting the obstacle include a sensor for detecting angles of the bucket, the arm, and the boom, and a distance between an object below the front part. And a sensor capable of detecting a distance, a sensor capable of measuring a distance on the bucket, the arm, and the boom joint to prevent a collision above the front part, and a turning part. It is characterized in that the sensor can measure the distance, height, size in three dimensions in the left and right, and a sensor capable of measuring a plurality of obstacles on the movement path of the bucket during excavation work lower than the equipment.

In addition, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, if the obstacle is detected, whether the obstacle can be avoided when changing the motion path of the arm in the order of arm, boom, and swing, which are priorities for minimizing energy consumption. If it is possible to avoid obstacles by changing the motion path of the arm, change the motion path of the arm, and if obstacle avoidance is not possible by changing the motion path of the arm, whether the obstacle is avoidable when changing the motion path of the next boom Obstacle avoidance when changing the motion path of the boom after checking whether it is possible to change the motion path of the boom, and if the obstacle is not possible only by changing the motion path of the arm or one boom work device, the maximum position where the obstacle can avoid the motion path of the arm It is characterized by changing the motion path of the boom after changing to.

The equipment control unit according to an example of the present invention is characterized by moving the position of construction equipment if obstacle avoidance is not possible due to the motion path change of the work devices.

According to the present invention, when there is an obstacle on the working path of the construction equipment there is an advantage that can automatically avoid the obstacle to improve the work efficiency.

In addition, the present invention can minimize the energy consumed according to the obstacle avoidance operation by changing the motion path of the work equipment that can minimize the energy consumption when there are a plurality of motion paths of the work equipment for automatically avoiding obstacles. There is an advantage to that.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the same components in the figures represent the same numerals wherever possible. Specific details are set forth in the following description, which is provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. In describing the present invention, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the embodiment of the present invention, but described as an example of the excavator construction equipment, in the present embodiment illustrated an excavator as a construction equipment, as long as there is a work device to the construction equipment other than the excavator, the idea of the present invention can be equally applied. have.

With reference to Figure 1 looks at the sensor mounted to the excavator to detect the obstacle.

Referring to Figure 1, the excavator of the present invention is equipped with a sensor for detecting obstacles in the front portion, the first sensor for detecting the angle of the bucket (bucket), arm (arm), boom (boom) of the excavator and And second sensors 20 and 30 capable of sensing a distance of an object below the front part, and the bucket, the arm, and the boom to prevent a collision above the front part. boom) The third sensors 10, 12 and 14 that can measure the distance to the joint portion, and the fourth sensor 40 and 41 that can measure the distance, height, and size in three left and right directions including the turning part. And fifth sensors capable of measuring a plurality of obstacles on the movement path of the bucket during the excavation work lower than the equipment.

In this case, the second sensors may be configured by infrared and ultrasonic waves, and the fourth sensors may be configured by a laser range finder.

At this time, the fourth sensor can be mounted one by one to the side of the boom, the scan range is the most idle state having the range (200-1, 200-2) as shown in FIG. The fourth sensor is a laser that can measure the distance to the obstacle, the height of the obstacle, the size.

Now, with reference to Figure 3 to look at the internal configuration of the obstacle avoidance control device in the construction equipment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the obstacle sensor unit 305 includes a plurality of sensors for obstacle detection, and outputs the sensed sensing signal to the equipment controller 300.

The operation signal input unit 304 may be configured as an operation lever for a work device that allows an operator to input an operation signal for operating the work device, and may be a work lever when the worker directly operates the work device in the equipment. In the case of remote control of equipment, it may be sensors for operating a work tool in a remote control device. In the case of a system for driving the equipment according to the remote control, a wireless transceiver is provided to receive an operation signal transmitted from the operation signal input unit 304 through the wireless transceiver, and transmit the received signal to the equipment controller 300. Will be configured. In addition, the operation signal input unit 304 includes a button for selecting the avoidance mode.

The memory unit 302 may be configured as a ROM or a RAM. The memory unit 302 may calculate a motion path of a work equipment for avoiding an obstacle when an obstacle exists on the movement path according to the present invention, and calculate energy consumption. Store the obstacle avoidance program to determine whether to avoid obstacles by changing the motion path of the work equipment that can be minimized the most.

Work device 30 including boom 316, arm 318, bucket 320, upper pivot 322 and boom 316, arm 318, bucket 320, upper pivot 322 And a boom cylinder 308, which is an actuator for driving each, and a work device driver 30 including an arm cylinder 310, a bucket cylinder 312, and a swing motor 314.

On the other hand, the boom cylinder 308, the arm cylinder 310, the bucket cylinder 312 and the swing motor 314 is driven by the hydraulic oil, the hydraulic oil is flow direction is controlled by the control valve unit 306 It is controlled and supplied to each of the cylinders 308, 310, 312 and the swing motor 314.

The control valve unit 306 typically changes the flow path by moving the spool by pilot pressure oil, but recently, an electronic control valve system has been developed to change the flow path by moving the spool according to an electric signal using a solenoid and an amplifier. have. In the present embodiment, an electronic main control valve unit will be described by way of example. Unlike the present embodiment, the pilot hydraulic oil flow for applying a signal pressure to the main control valve unit 306 while maintaining the hydraulic main control valve unit as it is previously A method of electronically implementing a pilot control valve for controlling the direction will also be included in the spirit of the present invention.

By using the electronic control valve unit 306 as described above, the electronic control valve unit 306 changes its flow path by a signal transmitted from the equipment control unit 300, whereby each cylinder (308, 310, 312). ) And the flow direction of the hydraulic oil supplied to the motor 21 is controlled.

The equipment control unit 300 generates the shortest movement path in the shortest movement path generation unit 20 when a work device predetermined operation signal is input from the manipulation signal input unit 304. Thereafter, the obstacle detecting unit 40 detects whether an obstacle exists on the generated moving path through the obstacle sensor unit 305. Subsequently, if there is an obstacle as a result of the detection, the obstacle avoidance path generation unit 60 changes the motion path of the work equipment that can minimize the energy consumption among the motion paths of the work equipment capable of avoiding the obstacle. Thereafter, the equipment control unit 300 controls the work device to be driven through the work device driver 30 to move to the changed motion path of the work device.

Then, a detailed operation of the equipment control unit 300 will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

In step 400, if a button for selecting the avoidance mode is input through the manipulation signal input unit 304, the process proceeds to step 402. Otherwise, the normal control mode is performed. Here, the avoidance mode is a mode for detecting the presence of obstacles on the moving path and automatically avoiding obstacles when there is an obstacle.

When the control unit 300 receives the work device operation signal from the operation signal input unit 304 in step 402, the control unit 300 determines the current posture of the work device.

In step 406, the equipment controller 300 generates the shortest movement path using the posture of the current work device and the input manipulation signal. That is, a movement path for moving the work device to a position corresponding to the manipulation signal input from the current work device position is generated.

In operation 406 to 408, the equipment controller 300 determines whether an obstacle is detected on the generated optimal movement path. At this time, the obstacle detection test may drive the obstacle sensor unit 305 to receive the sensing signal for the presence of the obstacle to recognize the distance, height, size of the obstacle using the input sensing signal.

If it is determined in step 410 that there is an obstacle, the process proceeds to step 411, otherwise proceeds to step 412 to move the front part according to the motion path of the swing, boom, and arm. To control. That is, the equipment controller 300 moves the front part along the shortest movement path generated in step 406.

In the present invention, the minimization of energy consumption is the center of the movement path. In other words, it is assumed that the energy required to operate in the order of swing, boom, and arm is high, and the priority of moving to minimize the path is arm, boom, and swing. Decide In other words, when the same position can be moved by moving the boom (boom) and when the arm (arm) can be moved if the movement of the arm (arm) is given priority.

Accordingly, in step 411 where the obstacle is detected and proceeded, the equipment controller 300 first checks whether obstacle avoidance is possible by changing the motion path of the arm. The motion path of the arm can be generated through the obstacle avoidance program using the distance, height, size information and the shortest moving path information of the currently detected obstacle as variables.

If it is possible to avoid obstacles by changing the motion path of the arm, in step 411, the process proceeds to step 416, and after changing the motion path of the arm, proceeds to step 402.

However, if it is impossible to avoid obstacles by changing the motion path of the arm at step 411, the process proceeds to step 418 to check whether obstacle avoidance is possible by changing the motion path of the boom. The motion path of the boom may also be generated through the obstacle avoidance program using variables such as distance, height, size information and the shortest movement path information of the currently detected obstacle as in the method of generating the motion path of the arm.

As a result of step 418, if obstacle avoidance is possible by changing the motion path of the boom, the process proceeds to step 420 and changes to the motion path of the boom and then proceeds to step 402.

If it is impossible to avoid obstacles due to the change of the motion path of the boom in step 418, the flow proceeds to step 422 to check whether the obstacle is avoided by changing the motion path of the arm and the boom. In other words, it is to check whether the obstacle cannot be avoided by changing the motion path of the arm or changing the motion path of the boom or the motion path of the boom together with the arm.

If obstacle avoidance is possible by changing the motion path of the arm and the boom, the flow proceeds to step 424 to change the motion path of the arm to the maximum position where the obstacle can be avoided, and then changes the motion path of the boom.

That is, when there is an obstacle on the shortest path, when the obstacle motion cannot be avoided only by the arm motion path, the arm moves the arm to the position when the obstacle can be avoided by changing the motion path of the arm. The motion path of the boom and at the same time the motion path of the boom for avoiding the remaining obstacles.

On the other hand, if the inspection result in step 422 change the arm and the motion path or the motion path of the boom or the motion path of the boom together with the arm can not avoid the obstacle proceeds to step 426 to move the excavator position. At this time, the movement of the excavator position may be moved by calculating the degree of avoidance when the movement of the excavator according to the distance and the height of the obstacle, and the operator directly moves the position of the excavator after notifying the operator that the obstacle avoidance is impossible. You can also

Thereafter, in step 428, if there is an input for requesting to exit the avoidance mode, the avoidance mode is terminated.

When the obstacle avoidance mode operation is performed as described above, even when only the turning lever is operated when the excavator is operated, the boom and the arm may automatically avoid the operation to improve the work efficiency. As another example, when there is an obstacle in the bucket's upward path when the bucket is raised or lowered for digging or slope excavation, even if only the boom lever is operated, the arm (the boom is limited avoidance) automatically avoids the operation efficiency and safety. It is also possible to improve. In this case, it is necessary to check the attitude of the bucket, and a configuration in which a plurality of scan sensors are installed adjacent to the bucket is essential to scan all of the inside, outside, top, and bottom of the bucket.

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10 to avoid and move the obstacle in the movement path according to the obstacle avoidance mode of the present invention.

First, FIG. 5 is an exemplary view in the case where there is no obstacle and can be moved only by a swing.

Referring to FIG. 5, when turning from point A to point B by θ1 ° as shown in (a), as shown in (b), the boom and the arm do not move and only a swing graph may be shown.

6 is an exemplary view when there is no obstacle and can move to a swing, boom, and arm.

Referring to FIG. 6, as shown in (a), turning from point A to point B by θ ₁ °, and as shown in (c), turning point B with the angle of boom a and arm angle b as point B In this case, the angle of the boom is b and the angle of the arm is d.

In this case, as shown in (b), a graph in which both the boom, the arm, and the swing operate can be shown.

Next, referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, there is an exemplary diagram in which an obstacle having a high height exists and the obstacle can be avoided by changing the motion path of the arm.

Referring to FIG. 7A, if the user attempts to turn θ ₁ ° from point A to point B as shown in (a), an obstacle is caught in the motion path of the current arm. Therefore, first, by verifying the arm excavation radius profile, it is determined whether the obstacle can be avoided only by the arm motion pass.

At this time, when turning the arm angle is small enough to avoid obstacles as shown in (a), the excavation radius profile may be shown as (b). In this case, the motion path trajectory such as 700 may be shown when turning in the current state, but the motion path trajectory such as 710 may be shown when turning the arm angle so as to avoid obstacles. That is, it can be seen that obstacle avoidance is possible by changing the motion path of the arm.

Accordingly, the angle of the arm is a at the point A, the angle of the arm at the point B while turning, and b, the motion path trajectory can be shown as shown in (c) of FIG. In this case, the operation graph of the boom, the arm, and the swing may be shown as shown in (d).

Referring now to FIGS. 8A and 8B, there is an example of a case where a high height obstacle exists and the arm and the boom optimize the path by changing the motion path.

Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, if (1) attempts to turn from point A to point B by θ ₁ °, obstacles are caught in the motion path of the current arm.

First, verify the arm excavation radius profile to determine whether the obstacle can be avoided by the arm motion pass alone.

In this case, when the arm angle is made as small as shown in (a), the excavation radius profile may be shown as (b). In this case, when turning in the current state, the motion path trajectory as shown in 810 may be shown, but when turning the arm angle as small as possible, the motion path trajectory as shown in 800 may be shown. That is, the obstacle cannot be avoided only by changing the motion path of the arm.

Accordingly, the arm motion path is verified after the movement in the direction of minimizing the movement of the boom.

That is, as shown in (c), the angle of the arm is changed from c to d, and the angle of the boom is changed from a to b to move according to the trajectory of the final 830 as shown in (d). To avoid it.

At point A, the angle of the arm is c, the angle of the boom is a, and at the point B, the arm angle is d and the angle of the boom is b while turning. In this case, the operation graph of the boom, the arm, and the swing may be shown as shown in (f).

9A and 9B are exemplary views in the case where an obstacle having a low height is avoided by moving a boom.

First, check if the obstacles can be avoided by changing the motion path of each of the boom and the arm or both of the boom and the arm.

Referring to FIG. 9A (a), since the obstacle is a low obstacle, even if the arm motion path is adjusted in the current work equipment state, the obstacle cannot be avoided. That is, since the motion path adjustment of the arm is impossible, the arm is fixed and the path of the boom and the swing is changed to create a profile for avoiding obstacles.

At this time, the turning trajectory can be shown as shown in Figure 9a (b), 9b (c), while turning from point A to point B while lifting the boom above the obstacle height in the range of the obstacle (d) If the obstacle is outside the existing range (d), lower the boom to the point before lifting again and turn to the point B. The motion path trajectory of the boom can be represented as 800 in (c). That is, it can be seen that the obstacles are avoided by changing the paths of the boom and the swing.

In this case, the motion graph of the boom, arm, and swing can be shown as (d), and the posture of the work device at point A and B can be shown as (e), and the posture of the work device at point C is It can be shown as (f).

Finally, Figure 10 is an exemplary view of the case where the boom and the arm moves to avoid the low height obstacle.

First, check if the obstacles can be avoided by changing the motion path of each of the boom and the arm or both of the boom and the arm.

Referring to (a), the motion path of the boom is changed to a point where obstacles can be avoided by changing the motion path of the arm through the profile of the boom.

Then, the motion path of the arm is changed as shown in (b) on the assumption of the changed motion path of the boom.

Accordingly, the angle of the arm is a at point A, and the angle of the arm is b at point B while turning, and the motion path trajectory can be shown as (c). In this case, the operation graph of the boom, the arm, and the swing may be shown as shown in (d).

As described above, the present invention generates an optimum movement path in advance when driving a work device such as a boom, an arm, a bucket, or an upper swing structure, so that the operation may be performed when there is a geographical fixed obstacle or a sudden human / physical obstacle on the movement path. Change the device's motion path so that obstacles can be avoided automatically.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the spirit and scope of the present invention are not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand.

Therefore, since the embodiments described above are provided to completely inform the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, it should be understood that they are exemplary in all respects and not limited. The invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

1 is an exemplary view for explaining that a sensor for detecting an obstacle in a work equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on the front part;

2 is an exemplary view showing a scan range using a sensor mounted to the side of the boom according to an embodiment of the present invention,

3 is an internal configuration of the obstacle avoidance control apparatus in construction equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention,

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process for controlling to avoid when an obstacle exists on a moving path in construction equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 to 10 are exemplary diagrams for explaining various embodiments of avoiding this depending on the presence of obstacles in the movement path during the avoidance mode operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS OF THE DRAWINGS

300: equipment control unit 302: memory unit

20: shortest movement path generation unit 40: obstacle detection unit

60: obstacle avoidance pass generation unit

304: operation signal input unit 305: obstacle sensor unit

306: control valve unit 30: work device drive unit

308: boom cylinder 310: arm cylinder

312: bucket cylinder 314: swing motor

316: boom 318: arm

320: bucket 322: upper swing

Claims (4)

In the obstacle avoidance control apparatus in construction equipment, A working device including a front part including a bucket, an arm and a boom, an upper swinging body, and equipped with a plurality of sensors for sensing an object in the front part; A work device driver for driving the work device according to a control signal; An operation signal input unit which receives an input for operating the work device from an operator; When a predetermined operation signal of the work device is input from the manipulation signal input unit, the shortest movement path is generated and the presence or absence of an obstacle on the generated movement path is detected through the plurality of sensors. And an equipment control unit for controlling to change the path of the work equipment that can minimize the energy consumption among the motion paths of the obstacle. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors for detecting the obstacle, A sensor for detecting angles of the bucket, the arm and the boom, a sensor for detecting a distance of an object below the front part, and a collision preventing the upper part of the front part In order to measure the distance to the bucket, the arm, the joint portion of the boom (boom), and a sensor for measuring distance, height and size in three dimensions , Obstacle avoidance control device in the construction equipment, characterized in that the sensor for measuring a plurality of obstacles on the movement path of the bucket during the excavation work at a lower position than the equipment. The method of claim 1, wherein the equipment control unit, When an obstacle is detected, it is determined whether the obstacle can be avoided when changing the motion path of the arm according to the order of arm, boom, and swing, which is the priority of energy consumption minimization. If obstacle avoidance is possible, change the motion path of the arm.If the obstacle cannot be avoided due to the motion path change of the arm, check whether the obstacle can be avoided when changing the motion path of the next boom. If possible, change the motion path of the boom, and if it is impossible to avoid obstacles only by changing the motion path of the arm or one boom, change the motion path of the arm to the maximum position that can avoid obstacles, and then change the motion path of the boom. Obstacle avoidance control device in the construction equipment characterized in that. The method of claim 3, wherein the equipment control unit, Obstacle avoidance control device in the construction equipment, characterized in that for moving the position of the construction equipment if obstacle avoidance is impossible by changing the motion path of the work devices.

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