Patent Application
20100277590
This invention relates to a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator, in which monitoring around a machine body by a monitor camera and start control of a prime mover are associated with each other.
Conventional technologies that associate monitoring around a vehicle or machine body with start control of a prime mover include, for example, one disclosed in Patent Document 1. According to this conventional technology, the capturing of an image underneath a vehicle is performed when an engine start signal is outputted. In accordance with the captured image, it is automatically determined by a subtraction operation whether or not there is any obstruction underneath the vehicle. If any obstruction is determined to exist, processing is performed to prohibit starting of an engine.
The above-mentioned conventional technology prohibits starting of the engine if any obstruction is determined to exist underneath the vehicle body, and therefore, can be hardly applied to construction machines. In the case of a construction machine, for example, a hydraulic excavator that performs digging work of earth and sand or like work, an operation or operations to rotate a revolving upperstructure, to change the spatial position of a front working mechanism and/or to drive a travel base is needed to avoid obstruction upon starting work if the obstruction exists around a machine body. If starting of an engine is prohibited as in the above-mentioned conventional technology when obstruction is determined to exist, it is, therefore, no longer possible to perform such an operation or operations to avoid the obstruction, thereby making it impossible to start work. In a work site where a hydraulic excavator is used, it is common that various materials are piled or earth and sand or the like is laid in heaps around the hydraulic excavator. If these materials, earth and sand, or the like is determined to be obstruction as in the conventional technology upon starting work, starting of an engine is prohibited so that the work cannot be started. An application of the above-mentioned conventional technology to a construction machine results in the prohibition of starting of an engine when obstruction is found by monitoring, and therefore, involves a problem that no work can be performed by the construction machine in such a situation.
With the above-mentioned situation of the conventional technology in view, the present invention has as an object thereof the provision of a construction machine, which can surely perform the confirmation of conditions around a machine body upon starting work and can start a prime mover even when obstruction exists around the machine body.
To achieve this object, the present invention provides a construction machine provided with a prime mover, a working mechanism actuatable by a drive of the prime mover, a prime-mover start instruction device for outputting a start instruction signal to enable starting of the prime mover, a machine information detection means for detecting predetermined machine information and outputting a detection signal, a monitor camera for monitoring around a machine body and outputting peripheral image information as video signals, and a monitor capable of selectively displaying the machine information and peripheral image information based on the detection signal outputted from the machine information detection means and the video signals outputted from the monitor camera, comprising a picture display control means for displaying the peripheral image information as a picture on the monitor for a predetermined set time after the start instruction signal is outputted from the prime-mover start instruction device, and a prime-mover start delay means for delaying starting of the prime mover for the set time.
According to the present invention constructed as described above, when the prime-mover start instruction device is manipulated upon staring work by the working mechanism, a start instruction signal is outputted from the prime-mover start instruction device. Responsive to this start instruction signal, the picture display control means displays peripheral image information, which is based on video signals from the monitor camera monitoring around the machine body, as a picture on the monitor for the predetermined set time after the start instruction signal is outputted from the prime-mover start instruction device. As a result, an operator of the construction machine can confirm the existence/non-existence of any obstruction around the machine body and, if there is obstruction, the operator becomes aware that the work should be started after an operation or operations are performed to avoid the obstruction. During the above-mentioned set time, the starting of the prime mover is delayed by the prime-mover start delay means. After the set time has elapsed subsequent to finishing the confirmation of any obstruction around the machine body by the operator, starting of the prime mover becomes feasible. Accordingly, if obstruction exists, an operation or operations of the construction machine can be performed to avoid the obstruction and the working mechanism can then be actuated by a drive of the prime mover. It is, therefore, possible to perform predetermined work by the working mechanism even when there is obstruction around the machine body.
As is appreciated from the foregoing, the present invention makes it possible to surely perform, upon starting work, the confirmation of conditions around the machine body based on peripheral image information displayed on the monitor by the image display control means and, even when obstruction exists around the machine body, also makes it possible to start the prime mover upon elapse of the set time subsequent to the output of a start instruction signal from the prime-mover start instruction device.
In the present invention described above, the picture display control means may comprise a picture switch means for switching a picture of the monitor to the picture of peripheral image information based on the start instruction signal outputted from the prime-mover start instruction device; and the prime-mover start delay means may comprise a storage means for storing the set time beforehand, a picture display time discrimination means for discriminating whether or not a display time of the picture of peripheral image information displayed on the monitor has reached the set time stored in the storage means, and a prime-mover start control means for controlling the prime mover to remain disabled to start based on the start instruction signal outputted from the prime-mover start instruction device and controlling to enable starting of the prime mover when the display time of the picture of peripheral picture information on the monitor is discriminated to have reached the set time stored in the storage means.
According to the present invention constructed as described above, when a start instruction signal is outputted from the prime-mover start instruction device, the prime mover is controlled to remain disabled to start by the prime-mover start control means of the prime-mover start delay means, and further, the picture switch means switches a picture of the monitor to a picture of peripheral image information based on the start instruction signal. This picture of peripheral image information remains displayed until a display time of the picture of peripheral image information is discriminated by the picture display time discrimination means of the prime-mover start delay means to have reached the set time stored in the storage means. By watching the picture of peripheral image information on the monitor, the operator of the construction machine can hence confirm whether or not any obstruction exists around the machine body. When the display time of the picture of peripheral imager information is discriminated by the picture display time discrimination means of the prime-mover start delay means to have reached the set time, the picture of the monitor is switched, for example, by the picture switch means to a normal picture that selectively shows machine information and peripheral image information, and further, the starting of the prime mover becomes feasible by the prime-mover start control means of the prime-mover start delay means irrespective of whether or not there is any obstruction around the machine body.
In the present invention described above, the construction machine may comprise a hydraulic excavator. If materials, earth and sand, or the like around the machine body at the time of starting of work by the hydraulic excavator lie as obstruction, the present invention constructed as described above can perform the confirmation of the obstruction and a response operation or operations to avoid the obstruction, and therefore, can perform desired work.
Owing to the arrangement of the picture display control means for displaying peripheral image information as a picture on the monitor for the predetermined set time after a start instruction signal is outputted from the prime-mover start instruction device and also the prime-mover start delay means for delaying starting of the prime mover for the set time, the present invention can surely perform, upon starting work, the confirmation of conditions around the machine body by the peripheral image information on the screen of the monitor the display of which is controlled by the picture display control means. It is, therefore, possible to realize the assurance of safety at the time of starting work, and after delaying processing of starting of the prime mover by the prime-mover start delay means, also to start the prime mover even when obstruction exists around the machine body. As a consequence, all work required to be performed by the construction machine, including the performance of an operation or operations for the avoidance of the obstruction, can be performed, thereby making it possible to assure excellent workability which has been hardly achievable by the conventional technology.
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A best mode for carrying out the construction machine according to the present invention will hereinafter be described based on drawings.
As shown by way of example in
As also shown in
This embodiment is provided especially with a picture display means for displaying, for example, only peripheral image information as a picture based on video signals from the monitor camera 12 instead of the above-mentioned normal picture for the predetermined set time after a start instruction signal, specifically ON signal is outputted from the prime-mover start instruction device, that is, the engine key switch device 16 and also with the prime-mover start delay means for delaying starting of the engine 8 for the above-mentioned set time, specifically an engine start delay means. These picture display means and engine start delaying means are included as components in a main controller 17 to be described subsequently herein. It is to be noted that the above-mentioned set time is set at such a time that the operator in the operator's cab 3 can recognize peripheral image information of the hydraulic excavator, for example, information on a rearward field of vision by watching a picture of peripheral image information displayed on the monitor 13 based on video signals from the monitor camera 12.
The above-mentioned main controller 17 is provided, as shown in
This controller 17 is provided with a picture switch means 22 included in the above-mentioned picture display control means. Based on the ON signal outputted from the engine key switch 16, this picture switch means 22 switches the picture of the monitor 13 to a picture that shows only peripheral image information based on video signals from the monitor camera 12.
This controller 17 is also provided with the memory mean, specifically a storage unit 19, a picture display time discrimination means 23, and the prime-mover start control means, specifically an engine start control means 21, all of which are included in the above-mentioned engine start delay means. The storage unit 19 stores the above-mentioned set time beforehand. The picture display time discrimination means 23 discriminates whether or not a display time of the picture of peripheral image information displayed on the monitor 13 has reached the set time stored in the storage unit 19. The engine start control means 21 controls the engine 8 to remain disabled to start based on the ON signal outputted from the engine key switch 16, and also controls to enable starting of the engine 8 when the display time of the picture of peripheral picture information on the monitor 13 is discriminated by the picture display time discrimination means 23 to have reached the set time stored in the storage unit 19.
A description will hereinafter be made about operations of this embodiment, including processing operations to be performed at the main controller 17.
When the engine key switch device 16 is manipulated from the OFF position to, for example, the ON position upon starting work by the above-mentioned front working mechanism, a start instruction signal, specifically an ON signal is outputted from this engine key switch device 16.
At the key switch signal discrimination means 20 in the main controller 17, it is discriminated, as illustrated in step S1 of
In this step S2, the engine 8 is controlled to temporarily remain disabled to start by the engine start control means 21 included in the engine start delay means. The routine then advances to step S3.
In step S3, processing is performed by the picture switch means 22, which is included in the picture display control means, to switch the picture of the monitor 13 to a picture that shows, for example, peripheral image information based on video signals from the monitor camera 12. The routine then advances to step S4.
In step S4, processing is performed to add “1”, which corresponds to a unit time upon conducting measurements, to a timer included in the main controller 17. The routine then advances to step S5.
In step S5, a discrimination is performed by the picture display time discrimination means 23 included in the engine start delay means as to whether or not a display time of the picture of peripheral image information on the monitor 13, said display time being an integrated value of the unit time as measured by the timer, has reached “5” or greater. If this discrimination results in “NO”, the routine returns to step S3, and the picture of peripheral image information remains displayed on the monitor 13. By watching the picture of peripheral image information on the monitor 13, the operator in the operator's cab 3 can, therefore, confirm whether or not there is any obstruction around, especially rearward of the hydraulic excavator. Even if the operator's hand or the like accidentally comes into contact with a control device for the front working mechanism, a control device for the travel base 1 or a control device for the revolving upperstructure 2 in the operator's cab during the above-mentioned step, the hydraulic excavator is maintained safe without operation because the engine 8 is controlled to remain in the stopped state.
If the discrimination in the above-mentioned step S5 results in “YES”, in other words, if the display time of the picture of peripheral image information as measured by the timer is discriminated by the picture display time discrimination means 23 to have reached the time “5” stored in the storage unit 19, the routine then advances to step S6.
In step 6, processing is performed by the picture switch means 22 to switch the picture of the monitor 13 from the picture of peripheral image information to the normal picture. As a result, the picture of the monitor 13 is switched, for example, to a picture that shows both of machine information based on a detection signals of the engine coolant temperature sensor 11 and residual quantity sensor 15 arranged in the fuel tank 14 and the above-mentioned peripheral image information based on the video signals from the monitor camera 12. The routine then advances to step S7.
In step S7, engine start permission control is performed, specifically the engine 8 is controlled by the engine start control means 21 into a state in which its starting is enabled. The routine then advances to step S8.
In step S8, it is discriminated at the main controller 17 whether or not the engine key switch device 16 shown in
In step S9, processing is performed to output an engine start signal to the engine controller 9 via the output unit 24. As a result, a drive signal is outputted from the engine controller 9 to the fuel injector 10 so that the engine 8 starts.
It is, therefore, possible, for example, to immediately perform desired digging work or the like by driving the front working mechanism when the existence of obstruction is not recognized in the picture of peripheral image information on the monitor 13. When the existence of obstruction is recognized in the picture of peripheral image information on the monitor 13, on the other hand, the desired work can be performed after an appropriate operation or operations to avoid the obstruction such as driving of the travel base 1, rotation of the revolving upperstructure 2 and/or changing of the spatial position of the front working mechanism is performed. When the engine key switch device 16 is manipulated back to the OFF position after the completion of the work, the engine 8 stops.
In the foregoing, the description was made about the case in which upon starting the work, the engine key switch device 16 was manipulated to the ON position. The engine key switch device 16 may, however, be manipulated to the start position (S position). If manipulated to the start position as mentioned above, the discrimination in step S8 of
According to this embodiment constructed as described above, there are provided the picture display control means including the picture switch means 22 for displaying peripheral image information as a picture on the monitor 13 for the predetermined set time after a start instruction signal, specifically an ON signal is outputted as a result of a manipulation of the engine key switch device 16; and also the engine start delay means including the storage unit 19, picture display time discrimination means 23 and engine start control means 21 for delaying starting of the engine 8 for the set time. Upon starting work, it is, therefore, possible to surely perform the confirmation of conditions around the machine body by the peripheral image information in the picture of the monitor device 13 as switched by the picture switch means 22, and to realize the assurance of safety at the time of starting the work. After completion of the processing that delays the starting of the engine 8 by the engine start delay means, the starting of the prime mover becomes feasible even when obstruction exists around the construction body. As a consequence, all work required to be performed by the hydraulic excavator, including the performance of an operation or operations for the avoidance of the obstruction, can be performed, thereby making it possible to assure excellent workability.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 318692 | Dec 2007 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2008/072265 | 12/8/2008 | WO | 00 | 6/7/2010 |
