JPH09268603A - Remote control device for construction machinery - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: A remote control device for a construction machine capable of easily and finely adjusting the relationship between the inclination of an operating lever of a transmitter and the operating speed of an actuator without increasing the number of ROMs provided in the receiver. A receiver 7 of a construction machine includes a writable nonvolatile memory 7d. A means for connecting the external device 325 to the receiver 7 is provided. The external device 35 includes a memory 35b that stores a plurality of sets of data as actual operation signal data corresponding to one set of original operation signal data of the actuator. By operating the external device 35, data selected from a plurality of sets of actual operation signal data can be stored in the nonvolatile memory 7d of the receiver 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control device for a construction machine operated by wire or wireless remote control, and more particularly to changing the relationship between the amount of movement of an actuator of a construction machine and the inclination of an operating lever of a transmitter. Regarding the means to do.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When excavating a deep hole using a hydraulic excavator with a slide arm or a clamshell bucket, if the excavation hole becomes deep, the bucket cannot be viewed directly from the operator's cab and the excavation site cannot be confirmed, so accurate excavation cannot be performed. In addition, when the bucket is pulled up, the bucket hits the inner wall of the hole and collapses the wall surface of the hole. For this reason, conventionally, a signal man other than the driver looks into the excavation hole and signals the driver in the cab about the excavation state, and the driver operates the hydraulic excavator by this instruction. However, since this method is extremely inefficient in working, a hydraulic excavator or the like having a remote control function has been developed when excavating such a deep hole that cannot be viewed directly from the operator's cab. In addition, remote control is performed even when operating a hydraulic excavator or the like in a dangerous place where people cannot approach.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a remote-operated hydraulic excavator with a slide arm, which is an example thereof, in a state where a deep hole is being excavated. In the hydraulic excavator, an upper revolving structure 2c is installed on a lower traveling structure 2a via a revolving device 2b to form a main body 2, and a boom 4 is attached to the upper revolving structure 2c by a boom cylinder 4x so that the boom 4 can move up and down. A slide arm 5 composed of a lower arm 5a and an upper arm 5b is rotatably attached to the boom 4 by an arm cylinder 5x, and the upper arm 5b is made slidable with respect to the lower arm 5a by a slide cylinder 5y. Upper arm 5b
The bucket 6 is rotatably attached by a bucket cylinder 6x.

In this construction machine, an oil passage from the main hydraulic pump 25 mounted on the main body 2 to the boom cylinder 4x is provided on the operator's cab 3, as shown in FIG. 6 as a representative of the boom cylinder 4x. Switching control valve 26
In order to switch A, the operation chambers a and b of the pilot oil control valve 26A from the pilot hydraulic pump 27 are operated.
An operation lever-type pilot valve 28A for controlling the supply to the air conditioner is provided. Also, the cylinders 5x, 5y, 6x,
An operating lever or a pedal type indoor operation pilot valve 28B for switching operation of a control valve (not shown) of the swing motor of the swing device 2 and the travel motor of the traveling device.
28N is provided. Reference numeral 29 indicates the indoor hydraulic pilot valve 2 from the pilot hydraulic pump 27 when the construction machine is at rest.
It is a gate lock valve that prohibits the operation of the actuators 4x, 5x, 5y, 6x, the swing motor, and the traveling motor by cutting off the supply to 8A to 28N.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in order to enable remote operation, the operator 8 carries a shoulder-mounted transmitter 9 (operation panel) with a belt 10 for remote operation on the ground, and inside the vertical hole A. While operating the operating lever of the transmitter 9 while observing the excavated portion, the remote operation signal is sent to the receiver 7 on the upper swing body 2c wirelessly or by wire, and the receiver 7 receives the transmission signal and the operator receives the signal. Converts the received signal into an operation signal generated when the operating means in the cab is operated, and the lower traveling body 2a, the hydraulic motors of the turning device 2b, the boom 4, the slide arm 5, and the cylinders 4x of the bucket 6,
Excavation work is performed by controlling the 5x, 5y, and 6x control valves.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are a plan view and a front view showing an example of a plane arrangement and an operation pattern of the transmitter 9 on the operation panel, respectively. An operating lever 11 for each control valve of the motor and the arm cylinder 5x is provided, and the bucket cylinder 6x, the boom cylinder 4x, and the slide arm 5 are provided on the front right side.
Operation lever of each control valve of hydraulic cylinder 5y-1
2 is provided. Further, 13 is the operation levers 11 and 12
Is a front / running selection switch for selecting whether to use the front operation mode or the travel operation mode. When the selection switch 13 is pressed to set the front operation mode, the operation lever 11 is moved to the left or right. By operating, the arm 5 can be raised or lowered,
By operating the operation lever 11 back and forth, it is possible to turn right and left respectively. The boom 4 can be raised or lowered by operating the operation lever 12 back and forth, and the bucket 6 can be rotated by operating the operation lever 12 left and right to excavate and dump. On the contrary, when the selection switch 13 is pressed again to set the traveling mode, the left and right traveling devices can be driven forward and backward by operating the operation levers 11 and 12 back and forth. Further, the operation lever 14 provided at the front center is used for operating the additional attachment when there is an additional attachment such as the slide arm 5 or the telescopic clamshell as shown in FIG.

Further, on the operation panel of the transmitter 9, in addition to the operation levers 11, 12, and 14, an engine control switch 16 for switching the engine start / stop and engine rotation to high / medium / low / idle operation, an emergency switch. An emergency stop switch 17 for emergency stop of the engine and all valves, a power switch 18, and a remote operation switch 19 that is turned on when remotely operated by this operation panel are provided, and also indicates whether or not remote operation is in progress. Driving pilot lamp 21,
Connector 2 for cable connection when performing remote control by wire
2 etc. are provided.

As shown in FIG. 6, in such a remote-controlled construction machine, a signal sent from a transmitter 9 is received by a receiver 7 on the main body 2 and, in accordance with the received signal, Remote control pilot valves 30A to 30N are provided corresponding to the indoor control pilot valves 28A to 28N to control the control valves of the actuators. These remote control pilot valves 30A to 30N
Respectively, as representatively shown for valve 30A,
Corresponding proportional return solenoid valve 1 for hydraulic oil
It is composed of A and 1B. Reference numeral 31 denotes the pilot valves 30A to 30N for remote operation and the pilot valve 28 for indoor operation.
It is a shuttle valve that selects the pilot oil via any of A to 28N and supplies it to the operation chamber of the control valve.
Reference numeral 32 is a power source mounted on the main body 2 which serves as a power source of the receiver 7, and 33 is a switch which is turned on by an operator when performing remote operation.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-70428 discloses an original operation signal sent from a transmitter 9 and an actuator 4X,
An example is disclosed in which the relationship of the amount of pressure oil supplied to 5X and the like is always 1: 1.

[0009]

In such a remote-controlled construction machine, the operating levers 11, 12 of the transmitter 9 are
The relationship between the original operation signal that indicates the inclination of 14 and the actual operation signal (current value) that flows through the pilot valves 30A to 30N that are proportional solenoid valves that determine the operating speed of the actuator is as follows:
It depends on the model of the hydraulic excavator body and the type of attachment attached to the hydraulic excavator body.

However, in the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-70428, the relationship between the original operation signal sent from the transmitter 9 and the amount of pressure oil supplied to the actuator is always 1: 1. In order to change the change pattern of the actual operation signal with respect to the change pattern of the original operation signal in response to changes in the actuator and actuator, it was necessary to replace the hardware and replace the hydraulic piping.

On the other hand, as a conventional technique that does not require such hardware replacement, there is one that uses a ROM (read-only memory) to select the correspondence between the original operation signal and the actual operation signal. . This is because in the receiver, a ROM is prepared for each model and attachment so that multiple types of actual operation signal data corresponding to the original operation signal data of a certain actuator can be selected and the ROM is selected with a switch or For each attachment, the ROM storing the relationship between the original operation signal and the actual operation signal was replaced.

In either case, however, ROMs must be prepared according to the model of hydraulic excavator and the type of attachments, which is complicated in terms of management and high in cost. In the case of hydraulic excavators, RO
Since M is mounted directly, ROM replacement is not easy. Also, because the ROM capacity is limited, it is not possible to support all combinations of actual operation signal data models and original operation signal data, and the skill level, operator preference, or work site situation. There was a problem that it was not possible to set a corresponding fine pattern and the selection range was narrow.

In view of the above problems, the present invention allows a remote controller for a construction machine to easily and finely adjust the relationship between the tilt of the operating lever of the transmitter and the operating speed of the actuator without increasing the number of ROMs provided in the receiver. The purpose is to provide.

[0013]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a remote control transmitter having an operating lever, and a receiver mounted on a construction machine, the transmitter displaying an operation amount of the operating lever. In a construction machine that transmits an operation signal, the receiver converts the original operation signal into an actual operation signal, and operates the actuator of the construction machine by the actual operation signal, the receiver of the construction machine includes a nonvolatile memory, A means for connecting an external device to the receiver is provided, and the external device includes a memory storing a plurality of sets of data as actual operation signal data corresponding to one set of original operation signal data of the actuator. It is characterized in that the data selected from the plurality of sets of actual operation signal data can be stored in the nonvolatile memory of the receiver by an operation.

[0014]

According to the present invention, when it is necessary to change the actual operation signal data with respect to the original operation signal data, an external device is connected to the receiver and the external device is operated to operate the nonvolatile device provided in the receiver. Data selected from the actual operation signal data stored corresponding to the operating portion of one actuator is stored in the property memory. By storing the actual operation signal data in this way, the original operation signal from the transmitter,
That is, when the tilt signal of the operation lever is transmitted, an actual operation signal corresponding to the tilt signal is sent to the operation unit of the actuator to determine the operation speed of the actuator.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is an electrohydraulic system diagram showing an embodiment of a remote control device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 4X and 5X are the boom cylinder and arm cylinder shown in FIG. 5, and 2X is a traveling hydraulic motor.
Control valves 26A-2 of these actuators
6N are connected in cascade. Each control valve 26A-26
N are provided with pilot valves 30A to 30N, respectively, and each of the pilot valves 30A to 30N has two proportional solenoid valves 1A, 1B to 1A, 1B, respectively, in order to extend or contract the hydraulic cylinder or rotate the hydraulic motor in the normal or reverse direction. N
It consists of A and NB.

The transmitter 9 includes operation levers 11, 12, 14
A memory including an A / D converter 9a for converting a tilt angle of the same, that is, an operation amount into a digital signal, a CPU 9b for signal processing, a ROM for storing information necessary for transmission, and a RAM for temporarily storing information. 9c and a transmitter 9d for modulating and transmitting a signal to be transmitted.

Further, the receiver 7 stores a receiving section 7a for receiving a signal sent from the transmitter 9, a CPU 7b for processing the received signal, a ROM or a primary memory for storing information necessary for the processing. 1A for each proportional solenoid valve 1A, and a memory 7c including a RAM for storing the operation amount signal of the operation lever, that is, the actual operation signal data for the original operation signal data representing the inclination.
To NB, a non-volatile memory 7d, a driver 7e for energizing the solenoids of the proportional solenoid valves 1A, 1B to NA, NB based on the data read from the non-volatile memory 7d, and the external device 35. For cable 3
And a serial interface 7f connected via 7.

The external device 35 is commonly provided for many construction machines, and is owned by, for example, a service person. The external device 35 includes operation levers 11, 1
The correspondence between the inclinations of 2 and 14 and the current values output to the solenoids of the proportional solenoid valves 1A to NB is changed by communication with the receiver 7 (that is, stored in the nonvolatile memory 7d). Operating levers 11, 12, 14
Is for adjusting the operating speed of the actuators 4X, 5X ... The external device 35 is composed of a personal computer or the like, and has a CPU 35
a, information necessary for processing, and actual operation signal data (proportional solenoid valves 1A to N) for the original operation signal data (a value indicating the inclination of the operation levers 11, 12, and 14) as shown in FIG.
A ROM for storing a plurality of sets of current values for energizing the solenoid of B), a memory 35b including a RAM for temporarily storing data for processing, and a keyboard 35.
c, a display 35d, and a serial interface 35e for transmitting the data read from the memory 35b to the receiver 7 via the cable 37.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ROM of the memory 35b stores, as actual operation signal data corresponding to the inclinations of the operation levers 11, 12, 14 in the X and Y operation directions (see FIG. 1), respectively. N sets of data are stored. That is, as shown in Table 1 or FIG. 3, for example, the inclinations of the operation levers 11, 12, 14 are 0, 1, 2, ... M (M is a numerical value corresponding to the maximum inclination angle of the operation levers 11, 12, 14). When represented by an integer, the proportional solenoid valves 1A to NB
The value of the current flowing through each solenoid is n for each solenoid.
Memorized in pairs. For example, in the 1ADATA (see FIG. 2) which is a data set of the proportional solenoid valve 1A, the operation lever 1
1 ADA for the numerical values 1, 2, 3, ... M representing the slope of 2
In the set of 1A1 included in TA, the current values are stored as the numerical values 39, 43, 51, ... 235, respectively, as shown in Table 1, and in 1Ai (i is any of 2 to n), FIG. As shown in, the current value for the solenoid of the proportional solenoid valve 1A is stored so as to be different (may partially overlap) with respect to the inclination of each operation lever 12.

[0020]

[Table 1]

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the non-volatile memory 7d of the receiver 7 stores the current value with respect to the inclination value of the operating lever 11, 12 or 14 for each of the proportional solenoid valves 1A to NB. A valve current value table 7g is provided as an area to be stored. In this configuration, the transmitter 9
When the operation lever 11, 12, or 14 is operated, a digital signal proportional to the inclination is generated by the A / D converter 9a, and the data is fetched by the CPU 9b. CP
U9b sets the data in the transmitter 9d, and the transmitter 9d
d converts the data string into a serial signal, modulates it, and emits it into space as a radio wave. The receiver 7 receives the radio wave sent from the transmitter 9 by the receiving unit 7a, converts it into a digital value, and sends it to the CPU 7b of the receiver. The CPU 7b uses the data to calculate the proportional solenoid valve (1 of 1A to NB) stored in the valve current value table 7g in the non-volatile memory 7d.
Current value), and the corresponding proportional solenoid valve 1A ~
The driver 7e for energizing the solenoid of the NB is actuated, and a current value corresponding to the data is supplied to the corresponding solenoid.

In the proportional solenoid valves 1A to NB, the opening area of the oil changes in accordance with the current flowing in the solenoid, so that the pilot pressure of the corresponding valve of the control valves 26A to 26N changes and, for example, the actuator to be operated changes. In the case of the boom cylinder 4X, the flow rate sent from the main hydraulic pump 25 to the boom cylinder 4X changes, so the actuator operates at a speed according to the flow rate. As a result, the actuator moves at a speed according to the inclination of the operating levers 11, 12, 14.

When it is desired to change the data stored in the non-volatile memory 7d provided in the receiver 7 in response to the change of the model of the hydraulic excavator or the attachment to be attached, or the operator's preference or the situation of the work site. 4, the external device 35 is connected to the receiver 7 via the cable 37, and the keyboard 35c is operated to output the proportional solenoid valves 1A to NB to the display 35d as shown in FIG. File 1A with current value set
Display a list of DATA to NBDATA and use the keyboard 3
Select the file by 5c. For example, when changing the current value of the proportional solenoid valve 1A of the boom cylinder 4X, the corresponding data 1ADATA is read, and from that, the data shown in FIG.
One of the data sets 1A1 to 1An shown in is selected. When such a data set is selected, the external device 35
Is the serial interface 35e and the cable 3
Data to the receiver 7 via 7. In the receiver 7, the data is transferred to the serial interface 7f.
It is stored in the area corresponding to the solenoid of the corresponding valve of the valve current value table 7g of the non-volatile memory 7d via.
After performing such data storage operation, the external device 3
5 and the receiver 7 are disconnected, and the external device 35 is removed.

By such an operation, the contents of the current value data to be stored in the valve current value table 7g are transmitted from the external device 35, and the contents of the table 7g are rewritten in the receiver 7 so that any proportional solenoid valves 1A to NB can be obtained. Since a table 7g can be created for the actuator, the operation speed for any actuator can be adjusted.

[0025]

According to the present invention, the receiver is provided with the non-volatile memory, while the external device is provided with the table storing the actual operation signal data for the tilt of the operation lever, and the receiver is provided with the table as required. Since the external device is connected and the actual operation signal data stored in the table of the external device can be stored in the non-volatile memory, the relation between the tilt of the operating lever of the transmitter and the operating speed of the actuator is stored in the ROM.
It can be adjusted easily without the need for replacement, and the number of steps can be reduced. Further, since only one type of ROM is required, management becomes easy. Further, since many kinds of actual operation signal data can be easily held in the external device, it is possible to correspond to an arbitrary operation speed and fine adjustment according to the customer's preference is possible, It is possible to easily change attachments.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an electrohydraulic system diagram showing an embodiment of a remote control device for a construction machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an original file of a valve current value table in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing an example of the correspondence between the inclination of the operating lever and the output current value to the proportional solenoid valve according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating a display example of an external device and communication with a receiver according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a deep hole is excavated by using a remote-operated hydraulic excavator with a slide arm, which is an example of a conventional construction machine.

FIG. 6 is an electrohydraulic circuit diagram showing a conventional remote-controlled construction machine.

7 is a diagram showing an arrangement of operation means and an operation pattern on an operation panel of the transmitter of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the operation panel of FIG. 7.

[Explanation of symbols]

1A, 1B to NA, NB: Proportional solenoid valve, 2: Main body, 4:
Boom, 4x: Boom cylinder, 5: Arm, 5x: Arm cylinder, 6: Bucket, 6x: Bucket cylinder, 7: Receiver, 7d: Non-volatile memory, 7e: Driver for energizing proportional solenoid valve, 7f: Serial interface, 9: transmitter, 11, 12, 14: operation lever, 13: front / running selection switch, 25: main hydraulic pump, 26A to 26N: control valve, 30A to 3
0N: Pilot valve for remote operation, 35: External device, 35
b: memory storing the original file, 35e: serial interface, 37: cable

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Hideo Narita Hideo Narita 2-6-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Within Nitto Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. Machine Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A remote control transmitter having an operation lever, and a receiver mounted on a construction machine, wherein the transmitter transmits an original operation signal indicating the operation amount of the operation lever, and the receiver. Is a construction machine that converts an original operation signal into an actual operation signal and operates an actuator of the construction machine according to the actual operation signal. The receiver of the construction machine is provided with a non-volatile memory, and
A means for connecting an external device to the receiver is provided, and the external device includes a memory storing a plurality of sets of data as actual operation signal data corresponding to one set of original operation signal data of the actuator. A remote control device for a construction machine, wherein data selected from the plurality of sets of actual operation signal data can be stored in a nonvolatile memory of the receiver by an operation.