Indicator control system for constrution machine

• US 7,626,491 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Sarl (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Japan Limited (Caterpillar International Investments Companyöperatie UA)
• Inventors: Fujii, Satoshi, Murota, Isao, Yamada, Hideo, Ono, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US10/584,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20070164873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence

Abstract

An indicator control system for switching from a measurement value display mode to a camera display mode and vice versa in order to display a selected mode on a monitor section of an indicator and for generating an alarm from an alarm section. The measurement value display mode shows the measurement data of an object to be monitored such as a construction machine. The camera display mode being for a camera section that is mounted on the construction machine.

Claims

1. An indicator control system for a construction machine, comprising:

an indicator for switching, by a switching means, from a measurement value display mode for showing measurement data of an object to be monitored of the construction machine to a camera display mode of a camera section mounted on the construction machine and vice versa and for displaying a selected mode on a monitor section;

an alarm section for generating an alarm, which is provided at a place different from the monitor section on the indicator;

an alarm judging means for judging whether or not measurement data of the object to be monitored corresponds to a predetermined alarm standard; and

an alarm control means for activating the alarm section to generate an alarm regardless of the display mode shown on the monitor section when the alarm judging means judges that the alarm is necessary.

2. The indicator control system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the indicator is constructed so that the alarm section is provided at an upper part of a housing, the liquid crystal monitor section is formed in a center of the housing, and a control panel section is provided in a lower part of the housing, and

the monitor section consists of a liquid crystal screen, and includes a gage image display section for showing a measurement value of the object to be monitored, a character display section for showing numerical values and the like, and an event display section for showing alarm contents and various pieces of equipment information.

3. The indicator control system for a construction machine according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the alarm control means has an alarm judging means for judging whether or not image data sent from the camera section corresponds to a predetermined alarm standard.

4. The indicator control system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that an alarm pattern corresponding to the display mode of the monitor section is determined in advance, and

when the alarm judging means judges that an alarm is necessary, the alarm control means selects the alarm pattern corresponding to the display mode shown on the monitor section to activate the alarm section.

5. The indicator control system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the alarm section consists of an alarm lamp formed by a light source such as an LED provided on the housing of indicator.

6. The indicator control system for a construction machine according to claim 2, characterized in that an alarm pattern corresponding to the display mode of the monitor section is determined in advance, and

when the alarm judging means judges that an alarm is necessary, the alarm control means selects the alarm pattern corresponding to the display mode shown on the monitor section to activate the alarm section.

7. The indicator control system for a construction machine according to claim 3, characterized in that an alarm pattern corresponding to the display mode of the monitor section is determined in advance, and

when the alarm judging means judges that an alarm is necessary, the alarm control means selects the alarm pattern corresponding to the display mode shown on the monitor section to activate the alarm section.