Target excavation surface setting device for excavation machine, recording medium therefor and display unit

• US 6,532,409 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ogura, Hiroshi, Fujishima, Kazuo, Watanabe, Hiroshi, Tomita, Sadahisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/857,066
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/35, 372/34, 373/48, 374/14, 37/2, 172/4.5, 172/5, 172/6, 340/686, 340/500, 340/679, 340/684
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/437 providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool

Abstract

A setting/display processing section 11 of a control unit 9 comprises means 11b, 11c and 11d for computing the positional relationships among a machine body, an external reference and a target excavating surface by using a signal from a setting device 7 and signals supplied from angle sensors 8a, 8b when a front device is in a predetermined positional relationship relative to a laser reference surface, and means 11e, 11f, 11g, 11h and 11j for executing picture processing by using the computed positional relationships, and then producing and outputting picture signals to display the positional relationships among the body, the external reference and the target excavating surface. A display device 12 displays an illustration of the body and lines representing respectively the external reference and the target excavating surface on a display section 20 in accordance with the computed positional relationships. As a result, when carrying out excavation continuously over a long distance along a surface at a predetermined depth, a target excavating surface can be easily set using an external reference and a setting error relative to the external reference is less apt to occur.

Claims

1. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine, in which a target excavating surface (T) is set parallel to an external reference (R) installed outside a machine body (1B) and a front device (1A) is controlled for said target excavating surface, thereby carrying out excavation continuously along said target excavating surface, wherein said system comprises:

input means (7) for setting said target excavating surface (T);

detecting means (8a,8b) for detecting status variables relating to a position and a posture of said front device (1A);

first computing means (11b,11c;

11b,11s,11t) for computing positional relationships among said body (1B), said external reference (R) and said target excavating surface (T) by using signals from said input means and said detecting means; and

second computing means (11e-11h,11j) for executing picture processing by using the positional relationships computed by said first computing means, and producing and outputting picture signals to display the positional relationships among said body, said external reference and said target excavating surface.

2. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine according to claim 1, wherein said first computing means comprises:

first means (11b) for computing the positional relationship of said body (1B) relative to said external reference (R) by using the signals from said detecting means (8a,8b); and

second means (11c;

11s,11t) for computing the positional relationship between said external reference (R) and said target excavating surface (T) by using at least the signals from said input means (7).

3. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said input means (7) includes numerical value input means (7a,7b) for inputting a depth from said external reference (R) to said target excavating surface (T), and

said first computing means comprises;

third computing means (11b) for computing the positional relationship between said body (1B) and said external reference (R) by using the signals supplied from said detecting means (8a,8b) when said front device (1A) is in a predetermined positional relationship relative to said external reference; and

first setting means (11c) for setting the positional relationship between said external reference and said target excavating surface by using the signals from said numerical value input means (7a,7b).

4. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine according to claim 3, wherein:

said first computing means further comprises fourth computing means (11d) for computing the positional relationship between said body (1B) and said target excavating surface (T) by using values computed by said third computing means (11b) and a value set by said first setting means (11c), and

said second computing means comprises;

first transforming means (11e,11g) for executing processing to transform the values computed by said third computing means (11b) into values on a monitor coordinate system set for a display section (20) of a display device (12) on the basis of said body (1B), and to display the positional relationship between said body and said external reference (R) on said display section; and

second transforming means (11f,11h) for executing processing to transform values computed by said fourth computing means (11d) into values on said monitor coordinate system on the basis of said body (1B), and to display the positional relationship between said body and said target excavating surface on said display section.

5. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said input means (7) includes direct-teaching instructing means (7e) operated when a work implement (1c) provided as said front device (1A) is at a predetermined depth, and

said first computing means comprises;

fourth computing means (11a,11s) for computing the positional relationship between said body (1B) and said target excavating surface (T) by using the signals supplied from said detecting means (8a,8b,8c) when said direct-teaching instructing means (7e) is operated;

fifth computing means (11b) for computing the positional relationship between said body and said external reference (R) by using the signals supplied from said detecting means (8a,8b) when said front device is in a predetermined positional relationship relative to said external reference; and

sixth computing means (11t) for computing the positional relationship between said external reference and said target excavating surface by using values computed by said fourth and fifth computing means.

6. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine according to claim 5, wherein:

said first computing means further comprises seventh computing means (11s) for computing the positional relationship between said body (1B) and said target excavating surface (T) by using values computed by said fifth and sixth computing means (11b,11t), and

said second computing means comprises;

first transforming means (11e,11g) for executing processing to transform the values computed by said fifth computing means (11b) into values on a monitor coordinate system set for a display section (20) of a display device (12) on the basis of said body (1B), and to display the positional relationship between said body and said external reference (R) on said display section; and

second transforming means (11f,11h) for executing processing to transform the values computed by said fourth computing means (11a,11s) or said seventh computing means (11s) into values on said monitor coordinate system on the basis of said body, and to display the positional relationship between said body (1B) and said target excavating surface on said display section.

7. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said input means (7) includes means (7c,7d) for setting a gradient of said external reference (R),

said first computing means (11b,11c;

11b,11s,11t) computes the positional relationships among said body (1B), said external reference (R) and said target excavating surface (T), including a set value of said gradient, and

said second computing means (11e-11h,11j) produces the picture signals for displaying said external reference and said target excavating surface depending on said gradient.

8. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine according to claim 1, further comprising a display device (12,20) for displaying, in accordance with the computed positional relationships, a picture (12c) representing said body (1B) and straight lines (12a, 12b) representing respectively said external reference (R) and said target excavating surface (T) by using the picture signals outputted from said second computing means (11e-11h,11j).

9. A target excavating-surface setting system for an excavating machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said first computing means (11b,11c;

11Fa) is disposed in a first control unit (9F), and said second computing means (11e-11h,11j) is disposed in a second control unit (11Fb) separate from said first control unit.

10. A storage medium (93) storing a target excavating-surface setting program for an excavating machine, in which a target excavating surface (T) is set parallel to an external reference (R) installed outside a machine body (1B) and a front device (1A) is controlled for said target excavating surface, thereby carrying out excavation continuously along said target excavating surface, wherein said program operates a computer (92) to execute the steps of:

computing positional relationships among said body (1B), said external reference (R) and said target excavating surface (T) by using a signal from input means (7) for setting said target excavating surface (T) and signals from detecting means (8a,8b) for detecting status variables relating to a position and a posture of said front device (1A); and

executing picture processing by using the computed positional relationships for producing and outputting picture signals to display the positional relationships among said body, said external reference and said target excavating surface.

11. A display device (12) for use in a target excavating-surface setting program for an excavating machine, in which a target excavating surface (T) is set parallel to an external reference (R) installed outside a machine body (1B) and a front device (1A) is controlled for said target excavating surface, thereby carrying out excavation continuously along said target excavating surface, wherein:

said-display device comprises a display section (20) for taking in picture signals representing previously computed positional relationships among said body (1B), said external reference (R) and said target excavating surface (T), and displaying a picture (12c) representing said body and straight lines (12a,12b) representing respectively said external reference and said target excavating surface in accordance with the previously computed positional relationships.