Patent Application
20240025708
The present invention relates to an information acquisition system for use in working machines such as cranes, having an attachment, such as a boom, a jib, a strut, and a mast, and a support unit (a turning body, etc.) that supports the attachment, the information acquisition system being configured to acquire information about the possibility of interference between an external object and at least one of the attachment and a suspended cargo suspended by the attachment.
In a crane that can lift a suspended cargo, attachments, such as a boom, are turnably attached to the front side of a crane body that is a support unit as shown in
In a ground cutting work with a crane, a boom is deflected by a hook hanging a suspended cargo and a suspended load, which causes an increase in the working radius of the crane as compared with the state where the attachment, such as a boom, is not deflected, as shown in
As shown in Patent Literature 1, a technique for a crane simulator for simulating the motion of a crane has been proposed to perform simulation by efficiently obtaining a total rated load, or the like, that varies following every motion of the crane. According to the technique, when input operation is performed on a crane displayed on a display unit through an operation unit, a display mode of the crane displayed on the display unit is updated in response to the input operation, and a rated total load calculation unit calculates a rated total load with which the crane can work, and displays the rated total load on the display unit. When a desired rated total load is input from a load input window, a working radius calculation unit calculates a working area conforming to the rated total load, and displays the working area on the display unit.
Patent Literature 2 proposes a control device for a crane to enhance the safety in the crane. In the control device for a crane, a boom control signal αr and a winch control signal βr for obtaining target values Xr and Yr are simultaneously output to a boom drive unit and a winch drive unit in a drive unit 30, with a current working radius X and a current lifting height Y which change in accordance with a deflection amount of a boom, as feedback values, and thereby a boom derricking angle and a rope length are simultaneously controlled.
As described in Patent Literature 1, software for construction planning simulation systems for construction using construction machines, such as cranes, has been developed. However, crane construction simulations using the conventional construction planning simulation systems have issues such as, for example, a large difference between simulation and actual work in terms of the working radius, the lifting height, etc., due to disability to express deformation of a boom or other structures caused by suspended load. The present invention has been made in view of the above issue of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information acquisition system allowing more realistic simulation by providing a construction plan simulation system with a function of computing and displaying deformation of an attachment that is caused by the weight of a suspended cargo and thereby reducing a difference between simulation and actual work.
An information acquisition system of the present invention is an information acquisition system for acquiring information about possibility of interference between an external object and at least one of an attachment of a working machine and a suspended cargo suspended by the attachment, the working machine having a support unit and the attachment that is supported by the support unit for suspending the cargo. The system includes a first input acquisition unit that acquires masses of the attachment and the suspended cargo as first input, a second input acquisition unit that acquires information about a posture of the attachment as second input, a position estimation unit that estimates a position of at least one of the attachment and the suspended cargo, based on the first input and the second input, and an information derivation unit that derives information about the possibility of interference between the external object and at least one of the attachment and the suspended cargo, based on the position of at least one of the attachment and the suspended cargo estimated by the position estimation unit.
Since the information acquisition system of the present invention includes the position estimation unit that estimates the position of at least one of the attachment and the suspended cargo, based on the first input and the second input, it is possible to faithfully reproduce the state of an actual working machine during working by taking into consideration the deformation in simulation and in actual boom work, and to thereby provide a work simulation close to reality.
The information acquisition system will be described below with reference to the drawings. The information acquisition system of the present embodiment will be described using a simulation system for construction process planning involving a crane work using a working machine as an example. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. In the embodiment, component members having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals to omit redundant description thereof.
In the following description, “acquiring” means that a component member executing any information processing in order to prepare information for other information processing, such as the component member receiving the information, searching for or reading the information from a database or a memory, performing specified arithmetic processing on basic information received, detected, or obtained by other means, so as to perform operation, such as calculation, measurement, estimation, setting, determination, search, and prediction, on the information, decoding packets received or obtained by other means to actualize the information, and further storing the information calculated or obtained by other means in a memory.
The computer simulation system device 21 is provided with a memory device 11, such as a non-volatile flash memory or a hard disk, that stores various data and a working area simulation program, a CPU 12 that processes various data according to the program stored in the memory device 11, a communication device 13 including devices, such as a wired device of Ethernet (registered trademark) standard or a wireless LAN, that perform data communication with an external device (not shown) such as an external computer, a display device 14, such as a liquid crystal display, that displays images to a user who performs operation, an operation device 15, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch panel, that receives user operation, and a peripheral equipment connector 16, such as a universal serial bus (USB) device, that connects peripheral devices.
The information acquisition system 10 shown in
[Input Reception Unit 22]
The input reception unit 22 receives input of various data necessary for work simulation (data stored in the data unit 24, such as crane information, material information, and environmental information including obstacles) from the outside. The input reception unit 22 receives data input by the user via the operation device 15 (see
[Modeling Unit 23]
The modeling unit 23 performs processing to generate model data for calculation, such as polygon data and voxel data, corresponding to various data, material information (including suspended cargo W), environment information including obstacles, and the like, received at the input reception unit 22, and to store the model data in the data unit 24 described later (the processing including data update processing). When real data acquired from the outside through the input reception unit 22 can be used for calculation without any processing, the modeling unit 23 stores the acquired data as it is in the data unit 24.
The modeling unit 23 has a center of gravity calculation function. The center of gravity calculation function is to calculate the center of gravity of each material and crane part based on the material information and the crane information stored in the data unit 24, and to store in the data unit 24 the center of gravity information including the calculated center of gravity, in association with each of the materials.
For example, when a crane carries a material, the posture of the lifted material deforms due to the position of the center of gravity of the material. Therefore, in the center of gravity calculation function of the modeling unit 23, the center of gravity is calculated as data to supplement the material information. The center of gravity information on each material and crane part, calculated with the center of gravity calculation function of the modeling unit 23, is used for deflection amount calculation and for generation of route candidates in the arithmetic unit 25.
[Data Unit 24]
As shown in
(Crane Information)
The crane information includes specification data, such as the type, size, weight (including weight information on each part such as a boom), maximum working radius, and lifting performance of a crane CRN, crane control information (lifting speed of the crane, turning speed of the crane, etc.), posture information about the posture, including the posture of each part such as a boom, a crane placement position, and other information. The crane information is used when a target crane is 3D-modeled. As the crane information, actual crane specification data and 3D data that is 3D-modeled based on the crane specification data are stored in associated with an identifier for each crane (attached with an identifier). Model data for the crane information is generated in the modeling unit 23. For modeling the crane CRN, the modeling unit 23 sets a reference coordinate system based on crane position information in the crane information. Data indicating the position (coordinates) of various parts based on a Z axis (perpendicular direction) of the reference coordinate system (orthogonal XYZ axes) are stored as posture information in the data unit 24.
The crane CRN as a working machine has a lower travel body 30, and an upper turning body 32 turnably mounted, as a support unit, on the lower travel body 30 via a turning device 31. The crane CRN has a cabin CAB constituting an operator cabin provided in front of the upper turning body 32, and a counterweight CW provided in the rear. The crane CRN is provided with the boom 34 as an attachment that is provided on an upper part of the upper turning body 32 and that extends outward so as to allow derricking. The boom 34 has a proximal end (lower end) supported by the upper turning body 32 so as to allow derricking around a boom foot pin BFP. The boom 34 has an upper tip supported by a wire rope WR through a gantry GT so as to allow derricking. The crane CRN is further provided with a wire rope 35 hanging directly downward from the tip of the boom 34, and a hook unit 36 attached to the tip of the wire rope 35. A material as the suspended cargo W is attached to the hook unit 36 of the crane CRN via a bundling rope 37 and carried. The wire rope 35 is received (wound up) and delivered (wound down) by a winch not shown.
The modeled target crane is configured such that an operator can operate the turning device 31 and the boom 34, etc., to perform various operations including turning and derricking the boom 34, and delivering and winding up the wire rope 35, while visually recognizing the position and shape of other worker and heavy machines, and the position of the suspended cargo W in an area directly below the tip of the boom 34, based on images from a camera (not shown) that captures the area directly below the upper tip of the boom 34.
The modeled target crane is further configured such that an acceleration sensor (not shown) or a gyro sensor (not shown) is provided at the upper tip of the boom 34. In simulation, the acceleration sensor detects acceleration that is speed change in one second (in three-axis directions (X axis, Y axis, and Z axis)) at the upper tip during derricking, for example, and the gyroscope sensor detects angular acceleration that is a change in angle in one second with respect to the reference axis during derricking, for example.
As size data in the crane information for modeling the crane CRN, Lj1 (distance from the ground to the boom foot pin BFP on the Z axis that is the center of turning), Lj2 (distance from the Z axis that is the center of turning of the turning device 31 to the tip of the boom 34), and Lj3 (distance from the tip of the boom 34 to the suspended cargo W) are input into the information acquisition system 10. In addition, as the posture information for modeling the crane CRN, maximum and minimum working radii, lifting height, rated speed (lifting, turning) are also input into the data unit 24 in the information acquisition system 10. The posture information includes at least one of the lifting speed for lifting the suspended cargo W and the lowering speed for lowering the suspended cargo W, and the lowering (free-fall) speed while descending speed is controlled. The acceleration during derricking and turning of the boom 34, as well as the lifting speed and lowering speed are also stored in the data unit 24 (or updated) at each time.
The crane information stored in the data unit 24 includes chart data indicating the relationship between the boom length of the crane CRN based on crane lifting performance data and the distance from the center of turning that allows suspended cargo carrying operation shown in
(Material Information)
The material information indicates characteristics of the materials of the suspended cargo W, such as the weight (weight information), size, shape, position of the center of gravity of the material, and others. In order to model the target crane, data on actual materials used for constructing a building to be constructed (a target) and data modeled based on the data are associated with an identifier for each material and stored in the data unit 24. Model data for the material information is generated in the modeling unit 23.
(Carrying Information)
The environment information includes carrying route information (position information on the suspended cargo W) such as a start point and an end point in carrying the suspended cargo W, and passing points to pass through, and further includes time information such as a time zone in which each material is carried.
(Environment Information)
The environment information stored in the data unit 24 includes, for example, virtual space data (a top view in virtual space) generated by simulating the crane CRN and the building site modeled as 3D models shown in
Data on real estate, or the like, in the environment information on obstacles is obtained from, for example, base map information (geospatial information) provided by the Geographical Survey Institute and from geospatial information created by various parties such as local governments and private enterprises.
In addition, when the present embodiment is combined with a building information modeling (BIM) simulation system, and the environment information is present on the BIM simulation system side, then that environment information is acquired. When the present embodiment is not combined with the BIM simulation system, the environment information is input through an input/output device. In order to model the target building site BLS, the environment data and model data modeled based on the environment data are stored in the data unit 24 in association with an identifier for each obstacle.
Model data for the environment information is generated in the modeling unit 23. The environment information, i.e., the environment data, is used together with the model data, for deflection amount calculation and for generation of route candidates in the arithmetic unit 25. As a result of the calculation, a working radius RS of the boom 34, which is changed due to deflection of the boom 34, can be simulated as shown in
[Arithmetic Unit 25]
The arithmetic unit 25 holds various arithmetic expressions such as calculation expressions for estimating deformation amounts of the boom 34 and the upper turning body 32, and performs arithmetic processing for the working area simulation based on the information recognized by the modeling unit 23 and stored in the data unit 24. In order to simulate the working area in which the crane CRN having the target boom 34 can work, the arithmetic unit 25 includes a weight information acquisition unit 25a, a posture information acquisition unit 25b, an external object position acquisition unit 25c that acquires information about the position of external objects other than the crane CRN from the data unit 24, a position estimation unit 25d that estimates the position of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W based on the information from the weight information acquisition unit 25a and the posture information acquisition unit 25b, and an information derivation unit 25e that derives information about the possibility of interference between the external objects and at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W.
The weight information acquisition unit 25a is the first input acquisition unit that acquires from the data unit 24 weight information including the weight (mass) of the boom 34 and the weight (mass) of the suspended cargo W lifted by the crane CRN.
The posture information acquisition unit 25b is the second input acquisition unit that acquires from the data unit 24 posture information including the posture of the boom 34 of the crane CRN. In addition, the posture information acquisition unit 25b also acquires posture change information about change in posture of the boom 34 over prescribed time (a plurality of times) as the second input from the data unit 24.
The position estimation unit 25d estimates the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W, based on the weight information as the first input and the posture information as the second input. Specifically, the position estimation unit 25d can calculate a deflection amount of the boom 34 from only the weight of the suspended cargo W of the boom 34 in a stopped state and the posture information on the boom 34. For example, the position estimation unit 25d estimates the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W based on the derricking angle of the boom 34 in the posture information.
The position estimation unit 25d can also estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W based on at least one of the lifting speed at the time of lifting the suspended cargo and the lowering speed at the time of lowering the suspended cargo W by the boom 34. Furthermore, the position estimation unit 25d can estimate the deformation amount of the boom 34, based on the posture information and the deformation state definition table (rated total load table data) defining the deformation state of the boom 34 for each mass of the suspended cargo W, and estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W depending on the deformation amount.
The information derivation unit 25e derives information about the possibility of interference between an external object and at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W, based on the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W estimated by the position estimation unit 25d.
The position estimation unit 25d can further estimate the deformation amount of the upper turning body 32 (for example, the inclination of the upper turning body 32 with respect to the lower travel body 30) and the deformation amount of the boom 34, based on the weight information as the first input and the posture information as the second input, and estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W determined depending on the deformation amount. For example, the position estimation unit 25d can estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W over prescribed time, based on the weight information as the first input and the posture information about the change in posture of the boom 34 as the second input. Specifically, the position estimation unit 25d can estimate the deformation amount of the upper turning body 32 and the deformation amount of the boom 34 over prescribed time, and estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W determined depending on the deformation amounts.
When the posture change information includes acceleration during derricking of the boom 34, the position estimation unit 25d can estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W based on the acceleration during the derricking.
When the posture change information includes acceleration during turning of the boom 34, the position estimation unit 25d can estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W based on the acceleration during the turning.
When the posture change information includes at least one of the lifting speed at the time of lifting the suspended cargo W and the lowering speed at the time of lowering the suspended cargo W, the position estimation unit 25d can estimate the position based on the lifting speed at the time of lifting.
The position estimation unit 25d can estimate the deformation amount of the boom 34 over prescribed time, based on the posture of the boom 34 and the deformation state definition table defining the deformation state of the boom 34 for each mass of the suspended cargo W, and estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W determined depending on the deformation amount.
When the posture change information includes at least one of the lifting speed at the time of lifting and the lowering speed at the time of lowering by the boom 34, the position estimation unit 25d can also estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W based on at least one of the lifting speed at the time of lifting the suspended cargo W and the lowering speed at the time of lowering the suspended cargo W by the boom 34. Furthermore, the position estimation unit 25d can estimate the deformation amount of the boom 34, based on the posture information and the deformation state definition table (rated total load table data) defining the deformation state of the boom 34 for each mass of the suspended cargo W, and estimate the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W depending on the deformation amount.
Step S1: the CPU 12 acquires boom weight information and holds the information in the memory device 11 (
Step S2: the CPU 12 acquires a posture information on the boom 34 and holds the information in the memory device 11 (
Step S3: the CPU 12 estimates the position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W based on the boom weight information and the posture information regarding the boom 34, and holds the result in the memory device 11.
Step S4: the CPU 12 derives, i.e., simulates, information about the possibility of interference between an external object and at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W based on the estimated position of at least one of the boom 34 and the suspended cargo W in the memory device 11. The simulation is executed using a prescribed expression to calculate the deformation amount of the boom.
Step S5: the CPU 12 transmits the result of simulation derivation to the display device 14 via the simulation display unit 26.
The arithmetic unit 25 can further generate route candidates by calculating carrying routes of the suspended cargo W that can prevent the suspended cargo W from coming into contact with obstacles, based on the information recognized by the modeling unit 23 and stored in the data unit 24, and predict carrying time in the respective route candidates. Specifically, the arithmetic unit 25 can compute the carrying routes and the carrying time of the material, based on the crane information, the material information, and the carrying route information (for example, the positions of a start point, passing points and an end point of the material as a suspended cargo input by the user).
[Simulation Display Unit 26]
The simulation display unit 26 instructs the display device 14 (
[Communication Unit 27]
The communication unit 27 instructs the communication device 13 (
A second embodiment is identical in configuration to the first embodiment except that part of the working area simulation shown in
In step S2a, the CPU 12 acquires the boom deformation state from the deformation state definition table (see
In both the embodiments, the information acquisition system of the embodiments is applicable even in the case where the attachment is a TELESCO (registered trademark) (telescopic) boom or a lattice boom. In both the embodiments, the information acquisition system of the embodiments is applicable even in the case where a mast or strut, other than the boom, is used as the attachment. Furthermore, in both the embodiments, the information acquisition system of the embodiments is applicable to wheel cranes (rough terrain cranes, truck cranes, all terrain cranes), mobile cranes such as crawler cranes, fixed cranes such as jib cranes, climbing cranes and tower cranes, cranes of cuffing specification, and cranes of fixed jib specification.
Thus, according to the present invention, the environment information about structures, or the like, located in the construction site, the material information, and the construction machine information (for example, crane information) for use in carrying the materials are stored in the data unit. A space through which the suspended cargo can pass is calculated from the construction machine information and the environment information stored in the data unit, and based on the space, the material information, and the construction machine information, a plurality of routes through which the material can be carried is calculated. A simulation of carrying the material is configured to be performed by using any one of the calculated plurality of routes. This provides such effects that the route fittable in the space through which the suspended cargo can pass can be determined swiftly, regardless of the skill level of a crane operator, automatic crane operation using the obtained simulation can be achieved, and further, the time required for construction planning can be shortened.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-163893 | Sep 2020 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2021/033665 | 9/14/2021 | WO |
