RU2809499C1 - Command input device for excavator control system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: control systems.

SUBSTANCE: controls for operation of an excavator, where reliability and validity of generation of the control commands from the operator is required. Additional technical results are the elimination of the influence of abrasive dust on abrasion and wear of mechanisms due to installation of protective corrugation. The command input device for the excavator control system contains a drive with self-return mechanisms in two planes with torsion springs, a mechanism for fixing the handle in the neutral position, consisting of a spring-loaded ball in contact with a spherical surface having a ball catcher in the centre, three angle sensor channels per each of the 2 coordinates of handle movement, where each channel consists of a microcircuit using Hall sensors and a magnet. The microcircuits are mounted on angle sensor boards, combined into two three-channel angle sensor blocks. All six channels of angle sensors are combined by one controller board, which includes three controller channels common to all angle sensors with their own power supplies. The device contains a housing consisting of four walls with installed bearings; an axis is installed in the bearings of two opposite walls, at one end of which a magnet and a rocker with a magnet are fixed. In this case, a pin is inserted in the centre of the axis, to which is attached a fork with a rod on which the handle is attached, and the other end of the axis is used to fasten the clamp, which holds a pin for engaging the whiskers of a torsion spring mounted on the same axis. In addition, the other two walls serve for fastening two axle shafts, on one of which a torsion spring and a clamp with a pin for engaging the spring moustache are mounted, the other axle shaft holds the clamp, and also a magnet and a rocker with a magnet are attached to its end. At the ends of two clamps located on two axle shafts, a guide is fixed, the groove of which limits the angle of inclination of the handle.

EFFECT: non-contact measurement of the angle of rotation of the handle in all directions within 360° with a self-return function from any position to a neutral position, provided by a two-coordinate mechanism for moving the handle with angle measurement along each of the two coordinates of movement with three-channel redundancy of angle sensors for each coordinate.

4 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to controls for the operation of an excavator, where reliability and reliability of the generation of control commands from the operator is required.

There is a well-known utility model “Device for manual control of a moving object” according to RF patent No. 37068 with a publication date of April 10, 2004, intended for generating electrical signals both separately and simultaneously along three mutually perpendicular control channels in manual fly-by-wire control systems for moving ground objects. The device contains a body, a handle, kinematically connected through a three-degree cardan unit with spring loading mechanisms and electrical sensors that generate signals along three mutually perpendicular control channels. Electrical sensors for three control channels are installed on a single board, fixedly fixed to the bottom of the housing with the ability to provide 2÷4-fold redundancy of electrical signals.

There is a well-known utility model “Two-coordinate command apparatus” according to RF patent No. 53468 with a publication date of 05/10/2006, relating to remote control devices, in particular, to devices of remote control systems sequentially or simultaneously along the X and Y axes of moving ground objects. The two-axis command device contains a housing with a cylindrical control lever installed in it, the end of which is associated with a ball bearing and longitudinal grooves of two swinging arms, the axes of the swinging arms are located in the same horizontal plane, mutually perpendicular, and setpoints. The command apparatus includes a base, adjusting elements, an elastic squeezing element installed in the housing, a threaded bushing and a spring element, a gear train made in the form of gear sectors, rigidly fixed on the axes meshed with gear wheels, placed on the axes of the setters, with a ball the bearing is installed in a squeezing elastic element, which interacts with the inner surface of the spherical surface of the ball bearing, the outer side surface with a threaded bushing, and the lower end surface with a spring element located between the lower end surface of the squeezing elastic element and the bottom of the housing, with swing arms interact with the setpoints through a gear transmission, gear sectors, with which rigid stops interact with the elastic elements, as well as with the adjusting elements when the control lever is in its extreme positions; in addition, the setpoints are installed in the base, fixed to the body. The spring element is made in the form of a wavy spring. The adjusting elements are made in the form of screws.

The invention “Handle of the side control handle” is known under RF patent No. 2638049 with a publication date of December 11, 2017, relating generally to the handles of the side control handle, which are usefully provided as an operator interface for different devices to allow the operator to make various inputs of manual signals. management. The side control handle includes a base, an elongated handle post extending upward from the base, a head at an upper end portion of the handle post, and a thumb support surface extending laterally and upward relative to the handle post. The head includes a divided face surface defining an inner face surface and an outer face surface disposed adjacent to each other in plan, and an inner push button and an outer push button, respectively, with flat top surfaces of said inner push button and said outer push button, respectively , form an angle between them of 10 to 15 degrees.

A magnetic joystick is known from RF patent No. 171081 for a utility model with a publication date of May 19, 2017, which relates to the field of remote control devices for technical objects, namely joysticks based on the use of magnetic sensors that respond to changes in magnetic flux when the position of the master control changes. The magnetic joystick contains a magnetic ball with a lever attached to one of its magnetic poles, installed in a non-magnetic housing with the ability to rotate, and two magnetically sensitive sensors mounted on the non-magnetic housing. In this case, the magnetic ball rests on the conical surface of the chamfer of a hole in a non-magnetic housing, in which a ferromagnetic rod is fixed coaxially with this hole.

A controller for controlling a vehicle is known from RF patent No. 186307 for a utility model, related to railway transport, to devices for controlling traction motors and braking equipment of a vehicle, namely to “traction-braking” controllers. The controller contains a housing, a cover, a rotary handle installed in a slot in the cover, with a disk rigidly mounted on a shaft mounted in bearings in the housing, a drive control mechanism connected by means of a gear transmission to the handle drive, a handle lock, sensors for its angular displacement mounted at one end of the shaft, connectors. The handle drive is made in the form of a small-step electric motor, the drive control mechanism is made in the form of a rod connected to a spring-loaded button and placed in the handle with a magnet at its lower end and electronic boards associated with the small-step electric motor, a connector and shaft angular displacement sensor boards made in the form of magnets , the handle lock, is made in the form of a cam mounted on the other end of the handle shaft and attached to the body with a lever-spring mechanism. The body has connectors for connecting to the corresponding vehicle control circuit in the “single movement” or “moving with a train” mode and selecting the mode, and also on the cover on both sides of the slot for the handle there are scales and operating mode indicators are mounted.

The utility model “Joystick for controlling a moving object” is known under RF patent No. 202708 with a publication date of 03/03/2021. The utility model can be used as a means of manual control for moving objects and parts of their equipment. The joystick contains an oblong handle, the upper end part of which is equipped with a head with buttons located on its front side, a position sensor capable of measuring the deflection of the handle, a base in which a control board is located connected to the buttons and a position sensor, and there are recesses for fingers in the side surface of the handle and a wrist rest in the form of a horizontal shelf, while the buttons on the head of the handle are placed on the trajectory of the thumb and some of them are made with a surface texture that differs from each other. Additionally, the joystick may contain at least one button located on the side surface of the handle.

The disadvantage of the above technical solutions is the lack of protection of the command input device from the action of coal dust.

The utility model “Column for the joystick of an excavator installation” is known from the prior art according to RF patent No. 214595 with a publication date of 11/07/2022, relating to the controls of an excavator installation. The column for the joystick of an excavator installation is a rectangular box, made with the ability to move back and forth, which consists of two U-shaped profiles of different widths for the possibility of placing one in the other, a cover and a base made in the form of a square pipe with a beveled forward the upper part, while the places where the profiles are connected to each other, the connections of the profiles with the cover and the base are points of hinge connection, at which fastening is provided by bolts and self-locking nuts; a rotary valve of the column position lock is installed on the front profile, providing control of the mechanism for changing the position of the column by means of a pneumatic cylinder , fixed inside the box to the profiles.

The disadvantage of the column for the joystick of an excavator installation is the limitation of functionality, because The handle can only perform one movement, hydraulic control back and forth.

A command input device is known according to RF patent No. 2679751 with a publication date of 02/12/2019. The command input device contains two drives, each of which has a disk with a handle, a mechanism for fixing handle positions with a spring-loaded roller and recesses for the roller. The device contains a self-return mechanism with a torsion spring, a holder of two magnets mounted on the rotary axis of the handle, three channels of non-contact angle sensors, where each channel consists of a microcircuit using Hall sensors and a magnet, while the microcircuits with Hall sensors are placed on angle sensor boards and combined into a three-channel block of angle sensors, all three channels of angle sensors of each drive are connected to one common controller module board, which includes three controller channels with their own power supplies, a majority circuit for two states out of three, and electronic keys for generating commands. The command input device can be made with triple redundancy for angle sensors, command generation controller, and power supplies.

The closest technical solution is a command input device according to RF patent No. 2679745 with a publication date of 02/12/2019, containing a drive in which a disk with a handle is installed, a mechanism for fixing the positions of the handle with a spring-loaded roller and recesses for the roller. The device contains brake pads located inside the disc and abutting the stationary walls of the device body, three channels of an angle sensor on each of the 2 coordinates of movement of the handle, where each channel consists of a microcircuit using Hall sensors and a magnet, a holder with magnets is fixed to the common axis of the disk, while the microcircuits are mounted on angle sensor boards combined into a three-channel angle sensor block; in addition, all three angle sensor channels are combined by one controller board, which includes three controller channels with their own power supplies, two switches of two output lines and two adapters.

The disadvantages of this technical solution are limited functionality, since the movement of the handle is provided only in one coordinate, there are no built-in buttons and switches for issuing additional commands, and there is no protection of the command input device from exposure to coal dust.

The technical problem to be solved by the claimed invention is the creation of a contactless, redundant command input device that performs the functions of generating and issuing commands when moving the handle in two coordinates in a range of 360°, self-return from any point in the position of the handle of the command input device, as well as increased security devices in conditions where the air is dusty with abrasive particles of coal dust to eliminate its influence on abrasion and wear of the device mechanisms.

Increased protection of the command input device from the action of coal dust is achieved due to the sealed design of the device, as well as through the use of materials that are wear-resistant to abrasive particles.

The technical results that are achieved by using the invention are the combination of non-contact measurement of the angle of rotation of the handle with a design that allows one handle to be moved along two coordinates and in all directions with the measurement of the angle in each of these movements. Three-channel redundancy of angle sensors and measurement circuit controllers and the ability to move the handle to any position within 360°, self-return of the handle to the neutral position from any position within the operating range, as well as a sealed design for working in conditions of high coal dust.

Technical results are achieved through the implementation of a command input device containing a drive with self-return mechanisms in two planes with torsion springs, a mechanism for fixing the handle in a neutral position with a spring-loaded ball in contact with a spherical surface having a ball catcher recess in the center, three angle sensor channels for each of the two directions of movement of the handle, where each channel consists of a microcircuit using Hall sensors and a magnet, and the microcircuits are mounted on angle sensor boards combined into two three-channel angle sensor blocks. All six angle sensor channels are combined by one controller board, which includes three controller channels with their own power supplies common to all six angle sensors. The device contains a housing consisting of four walls with installed bearings; an axis is installed in the bearings of two opposite walls, at one end of which a magnet and a slide with a magnet are fixed. In this case, a pin is inserted in the center of the axis, which secures the fork with the rod on which the handle is attached, and the other end of the axis serves to fasten the clamp, which holds the pin for engaging the mustache of the torsion spring, mounted on the same axis, in addition, the other two walls serve for fastening two axle shafts, on one of which there is a torsion spring and a clamp with a pin for hooking the spring mustache, the other axle shaft holds the clamp, and also at its end there is a magnet and a rocker with a magnet, while at the ends of the two clamps located on two axle shafts, a guide is fixed, the groove of which limits the angle of inclination of the handle left and right.

It should be noted that the guide itself is designed to rotate on axle shafts (via clamps) back and forth.

The handle is made of a collapsible design and consists of two parts and an insert with buttons and a key switch, which ensures simplicity and ease of assembly and disassembly of the handle with switching elements during installation and replacement for repairs during operation.

The command input device is equipped with a protective corrugation that provides protection from abrasive coal dust.

In fig. Figure 1 shows a general view of the command input device for the excavator control system.

The command input device for the excavator control system contains a housing consisting of four walls 1, 2, 3, 4 with installed bearings 5, 6. In the bearings 5, 6 of two opposite walls 1, 2, an axis 7 is installed, at one end of which a magnet 8 is fixed and a slide 9 with a magnet 8. In the center of the axis 7, a pin 10 is inserted, to which is attached a fork 11 with a rod 12, on which the handle 13 is attached. The other end of the axis 7 is used to attach a clamp 14, in which a pin 15 is held for engaging the spring mustache torsion spring 16, mounted on the same axis 7. The other two walls 3, 4 serve to fasten two axle shafts 17, 18; a torsion spring 16 and a clamp 19 with a pin 15 for engaging the mustache of the spring 16 are mounted on the axle shaft 17. The axle shaft 18 holds the clamp 20, and also at its end there is a magnet 8 and a link 9 with a magnet 8. At the ends of the clamps 19, 20, located on the axle shafts 17, 18, a guide 21 is fixed, the groove of which limits the angle of inclination of the handle 13 to the left and right. The guide 21 itself rotates on the axle shafts 17, 18 (through clamps 19, 20) back and forth. This design of the proposed device provides soft and smooth control.

In addition, two blocks of 25 angle sensors are installed in the housing, with three angle sensor boards per block. Thus, six channels of angle sensors are formed, where each channel consists of a board with a chip 26 with a Hall sensor and a magnet 8, located on axis 7, in the scenes 9 and in the axle 18, connected by a handle 13. The angle sensor channels are connected to a common stationary controller board 27, and the angle sensor blocks 25 are located vertically with respect to the controller board 27. The stationary controller board 27 has a three-channel design with a controller and built-in power supplies.

The design of the drive makes it possible to move the handle 13 to any position in the range 0°-360°; in this position, information is collected from six microcircuits 26 angle sensors 25. For each coordinate, the angle is measured separately. Based on the measurement results, commands are generated in transmission format via the RS485 line. This design of the proposed device provides non-contact measurement of the angle of rotation of the handle movement in two coordinates and in all directions with measurement of the angle in each of these movements with three-channel redundancy.

The handle 13 has the ability to move along two coordinates and simultaneously in all directions within the limiting angle. Torsion springs 16 perform the functions of self-return of handle 13 to the “zero” position. To clearly fix the handle 13 in the zero position, a latch is provided with a spring-loaded ball 23, which is in contact with a spherical surface 24, which has a ball catcher recess 23 in the center. When the handle 13 is released, it returns itself to the neutral position. The angle of deflection of the handle 13 from the neutral position in any direction is 15°.

On the handle 13 there are buttons 28, 29 and a key switch 30.

The handle 13 is made of a collapsible design and consists of two parts and an insert with fixed buttons 28, 29 and a key switch 30 connected to the controller board 27, which ensures simplicity and ease of assembly and disassembly of the handle device during installation.

The output signal about the angular position of the handle 13 and the state of the buttons 28, 29 and the key switch 30 is transmitted by serial code to the upper-level control system of the excavator via two RS485 communication lines with the ModBusRTU protocol. Data from any channel is transmitted upon request from the upper level.

The RS485 line is used to transmit measured and formatted data about the measured position angles of the handle 13, the state of buttons 28, 29 and the key switch 30, diagnostic information on the health of the device to the controller of the upper-level control system, as well as for testing the equipment of the device water commands as part of the AAP (autonomous testing equipment) during acceptance tests, as well as for testing the device with a top-level controller of the excavator control system.

The device is equipped with a specialized protective corrugation 31, which provides protection against abrasive coal dust.

At the bottom of the device there is a connector for external connection.

The device has a protective grounding stud.

The inventive device for entering commands of the excavator control system operates as follows.

In operation, two command issuing devices for the excavator control system are used simultaneously, which are located in the excavator driver’s cabin on the console chair stand to the left and right of the operator. Both command input devices are completely identical to each other, but the functions of the controls of each of the devices are different, which is determined by the program of the upper-level control system, and depends on which device is polled by the control system and what action the excavator must perform at the command of each of the handles.

The command input device is powered from the on-board network with a voltage of 24 V.

When the handle 13 is tilted forward or backward, the axis 7 with the magnet 8 attached to it and the slide 9 with the magnet 8 are rotated relative to the angle sensors 25 combined into a block, which makes it possible to read information from three microcircuits 26 with Hall sensors. The torsion spring 16 is also cocked due to its whiskers hooked onto the pins 15 installed in the clamp 14. When the handle 13 is released, it self-returns to the vertical position due to the return of the spring 16 to its original position.

When the handle 13 is tilted to the left or right, the guide 12 tilts, connected to the clamps 19, 20, one of which turns the axle shaft 18 with a magnet 8 attached to it and the link 9 with a magnet 8 relative to the angle sensors 25 combined into a block, which allows you to read information from three 26 microcircuits with Hall sensors. On the axle shaft 17, the torsion spring 16 mounted on it is cocked due to its whiskers hooked onto the pins 15 installed in the clamp 19. When the handle 13 is released, it self-returns to the vertical position due to the return of the spring 16 to its original position.

In the case when the inventive command input device occupies the left position, operation is performed as follows.

When the handle is deflected forward at an angle of 0-100% of the maximum, the excavator handle rises at a speed proportional to the angle of deflection of the handle of the command input device.

When the handle is deflected back at an angle of 0-100% of the maximum, the excavator handle is lowered at a speed proportional to the angle of deflection of the handle of the command input device.

When the handle is deflected to the left by an angle of 0-100% of the maximum, the excavator platform rotates counterclockwise at a speed proportional to the deflection angle of the command input device handle.

When the handle is deflected to the right by an angle of 0-100% of the maximum, the excavator platform rotates clockwise at a speed proportional to the deflection angle of the command input device handle.

When you press button No. 1, the mode of maintaining the horizontal position of the bucket is activated. When the button is released, the mode turns off.

When you press button No. 2, an external sound signal is turned on. When the button is released, the signal turns off.

When the key is moved to the upper position with fixation, the mode of automatic connection of the turntable brake is disabled.

When the key is moved to the lower position with fixation, the mode of automatic connection of the turntable brake is activated.

In the case when the inventive command input device occupies the right position, operation is performed as follows.

When the handle is deflected forward by an angle of 0-100% of the maximum, the boom is lowered at a speed proportional to the angle of deflection of the handle of the command input device.

When the handle is deflected back at an angle of 0-100% of the maximum, the boom rises at a speed proportional to the angle of deflection of the handle of the command input device.

When the handle is deflected to the left by an angle of 0-100% of the maximum, the bucket rises at a speed proportional to the angle of deflection of the handle of the command input device.

When the handle is deflected to the right by an angle of 0-100% of the maximum, the bucket is lowered at a speed proportional to the angle of deflection of the handle of the command input device.

When you press button No. 1 (without fixing), the boom floating position mode is activated. When the button is released, the mode turns off.

When you press button No. 2 (with fixation), the mode of fixing the position of the bucket relative to the horizon line is activated. When pressed again, the mode of fixing the position of the bucket relative to the horizon is turned off.

Thus, the inventive command input device ensures control of the operation of the excavator in all conditions of use of the excavator, including conditions of increased dustiness of the air with abrasive particles of coal dust, while ensuring that it does not influence the abrasion and wear of the device mechanisms.

Claims (4)

1. A command input device for an excavator control system, containing a drive with self-return mechanisms in two planes with torsion springs, a mechanism for fixing the handle in the neutral position, consisting of a spring-loaded ball in contact with a spherical surface having a ball catcher recess in the center, three channels each. angle sensor on each of the 2 coordinates of handle movement, where each channel consists of a microcircuit using Hall sensors and a magnet, and the microcircuits are mounted on angle sensor boards combined into two three-channel angle sensor blocks, in addition, all six angle sensor channels are combined one controller board, which includes three controller channels common to all angle sensors with their own power supplies, characterized in that it contains a housing consisting of four walls with installed bearings; an axis is installed in the bearings of two opposite walls, at one end of which a magnet is fixed and a rocker with a magnet, while in the center of the axis a pin is inserted, to which is attached a fork with a rod on which the handle is attached, and the other end of the axis is used to attach a clamp in which a pin is held for engaging the whiskers of a torsion spring mounted on the same axis, in addition, the other two walls serve for fastening two axle shafts, on one of which a torsion spring and a clamp with a pin for engaging the spring mustache are mounted, the other axle shaft holds the clamp, and also a magnet and a rocker with a magnet are attached to its end, while at the ends of the two clamps located on two axle shafts, a guide is fixed, the groove of which limits the angle of inclination of the handle. 2. The command input device according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle is equipped with buttons and a key switch connected to the control board. 3. The command input device according to claim 2, characterized in that the handle is made of a collapsible design, consisting of two parts and an insert for attaching buttons and a key switch. 4. The command input device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with a protective corrugation.