DUMP TRUCK WITH OBSTACLE DETECTION MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING OBSTACLE

• US 20140375503A1
• Filed: 09/19/2012
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Kurihara, Takeshi, Machida, Masaomi, Tsubone, Dai, Nakanishi, Yukihiro, Tanuki, Tomikazu, Mitsuta, Shinji, Harada, Shigeru, Masutani, Eishin
• Granted Patent: US 9,442,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/385
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A dump truck includes radars attached, facing backward, to a position projected sideward a front fender extended from a lower deck to an upper deck of a front side of the vehicle, in which an irradiation beam has an angle of dip to cross at least a front wheel; and radars attached, facing sideward, to the side of the lower deck, and the radars and the radars are arranged such that a horizontal forward detection limit line of each of the radar and a horizontal backward detection limit line of each of the radar overlap and the horizontal backward detection limit lines of the radar are directed to a side of a center plane of the vehicle to detect the obstacle in the side of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A dump truck with an obstacle detection mechanism capable of detecting an obstacle around a vehicle using a plurality of radars provided on a periphery of the vehicle, the dump truck comprising:

a backward irradiation side-radar attached, facing backward, to a position projected sideward from a front fender extended from a lower deck to an upper deck of a front side of the vehicle, wherein an irradiation beam from the backward irradiation side-radar has an angle of dip to cross at least a front wheel; and

a sideward irradiation side-radar attached, facing sideward, to a side of the lower deck,

wherein the backward irradiation side-radar and the sideward irradiation side-radar are arranged such that a horizontal forward detection limit line of the backward irradiation side-radar and a horizontal backward detection limit line of the sideward irradiation side-radar overlap and the horizontal backward detection limit line of the backward irradiation side-radar is directed to a side of a center plane of the vehicle to detect an obstacle in a side of the vehicle.

2. The dump truck according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal detection range of the backward irradiation side-radar is equal to or greater than 80 degrees and an angle between a horizontal irradiation center axis of the backward irradiation side-radar and the center plane of the vehicle is equal to or less than 45 degrees.

3. The dump truck according to claim 1, wherein an obstacle processing unit having the obstacle detection mechanism excludes information of a vehicle area detected by the backward irradiation side-radar from obstacle detection information.

4. The dump truck according to claim 1, wherein the backward irradiation side-radar and the sideward irradiation side-radar are provided under a vessel.

5. The dump truck according to claim 1, wherein the backward irradiation side-radar and the sideward irradiation side-radar are provided to an opposite side of a cab with respect to the center plane of the vehicle.

6. A dump truck with an obstacle detection mechanism capable of detecting an obstacle around a vehicle using a plurality of radars provided on a periphery of the vehicle, the dump truck comprising:

a plurality of backward radars arranged in left and right with respect to a center plane of the vehicle in a backside of a rear axle case and between joints of rear suspension cylinders and the rear axle case, wherein respective radars are arranged such that irradiation center axes of the radars in a horizontal direction cross and irradiation center axes of the radars in a vertical direction have a predetermined angle of dip, respectively;

a plurality of forward radars arranged in left and right with respect to the center plane of the vehicle in a front part of a lower deck of a front side of the vehicle, wherein respective radars are arranged such that irradiation center axes of the radars in a horizontal direction cross and irradiation center axes of the radars in a vertical direction have a predetermined angle of dip, respectively;

backward irradiation side-radars arranged in left and right and attached, facing backward, to positions projected sideward from a front fender extended from the lower deck to an upper deck, wherein each of horizontal backward detection limit lines of the backward irradiation side-radars is directed to a side of the center plane of the vehicle and each of irradiation center plane of the backward irradiation side-radars in a vertical direction has an angle of dip to cross at least a front wheel; and

sideward irradiation side-radars arranged in left and right and attached, facing sideward, to sides of the lower deck, wherein each of horizontal detection ranges of the sideward irradiation side-radars includes a horizontal forward detection limit line of the backward irradiation side-radar,

wherein the dump truck detects obstacle around entire surroundings of the vehicle.

7. A method of obstacle detection in a dump truck with an obstacle detection mechanism attached, facing backward, to a position projected sideward from a front fender extended from a lower deck to an upper deck of a front side of the vehicle and capable of detecting an obstacle in a side of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting obstacle information by a backward irradiation side-radar whose irradiation beam has an angle of dip to cross a front wheel; and

excluding obstacle information in a preset vehicle area that indicates the vehicle.