SWING CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY

• US 20130116897A1
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Lee, Chun-Han, Kim, Jin-Seop
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/128 Braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2033 Limiting the movement of frames or implements, e.g. to avoid collision between implements and the cabin sub-groups of E02F3/431 of E02F3/435 take precedence; for turntables E02F9/123

Abstract

A swing control apparatus and a swing control method for a construction machine are provided. The swing control apparatus includes a start position estimation unit, a stop target position calculation unit, and a swing motor position control unit. Even if an operator releases a lever or commands a stop at different times, an upper swing structure of the construction machine (for example, excavator) can be stopped within a predetermined range, and thus the inconvenience caused by an additional driving operation, which is required as the stop position differs according to the time point where the stop command starts, can be solved.

Claims

1. A swing control apparatus for a construction machine comprising:

a start position estimation unit calculating or estimating an optimum stop starting position for stopping an upper swing structure in a stop position (or at a stop angle) set by a user using the set stop position (or the set stop angle);

a stop target position calculation unit calculating a stop target position using a current position of the upper swing structure and the calculated or estimated optimum stop starting position when a user'"'"'s stop command is input; and

a swing motor position control unit controlling a position of a swing motor so that the upper swing structure is stopped in the calculated stop target position.

2. The swing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the start position estimation unit is any one of a means for calculating the optimum stop starting position based on a mass moment of inertia and a maximum torque of the upper swing structure of the construction machine and a means for calculating the optimum stop starting position through interpolation using a lookup table that defines a mapping relation between the stop position set by the user and the stop starting position.

3. The swing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stop target position calculation unit is a means for calculating the stop target position that is determined as follows:

1) in the case where the current position is between A1 and A2,

stop target position=(A2−

current position)/(A2−

A1)*(E2−

E1)+E1

where, A2 denotes the optimum stop starting position, A1 denotes the minimum value that is set by the user based on A2 or in consideration of a preset stop command range, E2 denotes the stop position (or angle) set by the user, and E1 denotes the minimum position that is set by the user based on E2 or in consideration of a preset stop position range, and

2) in the case where the current position is between A2 and A3,

stop target position=(A3−

current position)/(A3−

A2)*(E3−

E2)+E2

where, A3 denotes the maximum value that is set by the user based on A2 or in consideration of a preset stop command range, E3 denotes the maximum position that is set by the user based on E2 or in consideration of a preset stop position range, A2 denotes the optimum stop starting position, and E2 denotes the stop position (or angle) set by the user.

4. A swing control method for a construction machine comprising:

calculating or estimating an optimum stop starting position for stopping an upper swing structure in a stop position (or at a stop angle) set by a user using the set stop position (or the set stop angle);

calculating a stop target position using a current position of the upper swing structure and the calculated or estimated optimum stop starting position when a user'"'"'s stop command is input; and

controlling the position of a swing motor so that the upper swing structure is stopped in the calculated stop target position.

5. The swing control method according to claim 4, wherein the step of calculating or estimating the stop starting position calculates the optimum stop starting position based on a mass moment of inertia and a maximum torque of the upper swing structure of the construction machine, or calculates the optimum stop starting position through interpolation through a lookup table that defines a mapping relation between the stop position set by the user and the stop starting position.

6. The swing control method according to claim 4, wherein the step of calculating the stop target position calculates the stop target position that is determined as follows:

1) in the case where the current position is between A1 and A2,

stop target position=(A2−

current position)/(A2−

A1)*(E2−

E1)+E1

where, A2 denotes the optimum stop starting position, A1 denotes the minimum value that is set by the user based on A2 or in consideration of a preset stop command range, E2 denotes the stop position (or angle) set by the user, and E1 denotes the minimum position that is set by the user based on E2 or in consideration of a preset stop position range, and

2) in the case where the current position is between A2 and A3,

stop target position=(A3−

current position)/(A3−

A2)*(E3−

E2)+E2

where, A3 denotes the maximum value that is set by the user based on A2 or in consideration of a preset stop command range, E3 denotes the maximum position that is set by the user based on E2 or in consideration of a preset stop position range, A2 denotes the optimum stop starting position, and E2 denotes the stop position (or angle) set by the user.