阅读说明：本技术 挖土机 (Excavator ) 是由 黑泽亮太 于 2019-10-18 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供一种能够在考虑施工性的同时进行与施工区域相关的设定的挖土机。本发明的一种实施方式所涉及的挖土机(100)具备显示装置(D1),该显示装置(D1)显示表示挖土机(100)的周围的施工区域的图像,以下称为“施工区域图像”。并且,该显示装置(D1)在规定的坐标系中对施工区域预先设定的坐标与施工区域图像中包含的图像构成部分、例如像素建立有对应关联的状态下,显示该施工区域图像。(Provided is a shovel capable of setting a construction area while taking workability into consideration. A shovel (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with a display device (D1), and the display device (D1) displays an image showing a construction area around the shovel (100), hereinafter referred to as a "construction area image". The display device (D1) displays the construction area image in a state in which coordinates set in advance for the construction area in a predetermined coordinate system are associated with image components, for example, pixels, included in the construction area image.)

1. An excavator, wherein,

the construction machine is provided with a display device for displaying an image representing a construction area around the excavator,

the display device displays the image in a state where coordinates predetermined in advance for the construction area are associated with image components included in the image.

2. The shovel of claim 1,

the image forming apparatus further includes a setting unit that sets a part of the construction area corresponding to the coordinates associated with the image component specified by the operation input related to the image.

3. The shovel of claim 2,

the display device displays the image in a state where the coordinates corresponding to the position of a predetermined object detected in the construction area are associated with the image forming part corresponding to the object.

4. The shovel of claim 3,

the object is detected based on a predetermined model.

5. The shovel of claim 3,

the setting unit performs setting with respect to the object corresponding to the coordinates associated with the image forming portion specified in accordance with the operation input.

6. The shovel of claim 2,

the setting unit sets a part of the construction area specified by the coordinates associated with the image forming portion specified in accordance with the operation input related to the image as a construction-related target.

7. The shovel of claim 5,

the setting unit sets the object located at the position where the coordinates associated with the image forming part specified by the operation input are associated as a construction target, or sets the construction target with the object as a reference.

8. The shovel of claim 5,

the setting unit sets the object located at the position where the coordinates associated with the image forming part specified by the operation input are associated as an avoidance object related to the construction, or sets the avoidance object related to the construction with reference to the object.

9. The shovel of claim 1,

when an operation of changing an area of the image displayed on the display device is performed, the correspondence relationship between the coordinates and the image forming portion is changed in accordance with the change of the area of the image displayed on the display device.

10. The shovel of claim 2,

the setting unit sets an avoidance target section in accordance with the coordinates associated with the image forming portion specified in accordance with the operation input,

the display device displays a distance from the shovel to the avoidance target section.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an excavator.

Background

Conventionally, there is known a technique for allowing a shovel to recognize a predetermined object in a construction area around the shovel by marking the object with an identification mark or the like (for example, patent document 1).

According to this technique, the shovel can recognize a predetermined object (for example, an obstacle existing in a construction area, a specific position in the construction area, or the like) in the construction area using, for example, an imaging device or the like. Therefore, the excavator can perform setting related to the construction area (for example, setting as an object to be avoided in the construction area, setting as a construction target such as a soil discharge position in the construction area, or the like) based on the position of the recognized object or the like.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2003-105807

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, since an operator of the excavator, a surrounding constructor, or the like needs to mark an identification mark or the like on the object in advance, there is a possibility that workability may be deteriorated.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shovel capable of setting a construction area while considering workability.

Means for solving the problems

In one embodiment of the present invention,

provided is a shovel including a display device that displays an image showing a construction area around the shovel,

the display device displays the image in a state where coordinates set in advance for the construction area are associated with image components included in the image.

Effects of the invention

According to the above embodiment, it is possible to provide a shovel capable of setting a construction area while taking workability into consideration.

Drawings

Fig. 1A is an external view of the shovel.

Fig. 1B is an external view of the shovel.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration centered on a hydraulic system of the excavator.

Fig. 3A is a diagram showing a positional relationship of each component of the shovel and a positional relationship between the shovel and a surrounding object.

Fig. 3B is a diagram showing a positional relationship between each component of the shovel and a positional relationship between the shovel and a surrounding object.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration centered on a control system of the shovel.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of display contents of the display device in the surrounding image mode.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of display contents of the display device in the setting mode.

Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of the setting contents related to the construction area around the excavator.

Fig. 8A is a diagram showing an example of display contents of the display device in the preview mode.

Fig. 8B is a diagram showing another example of display contents of the display device in the preview mode.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a configuration centered on a hydraulic system of a shovel.

Fig. 10A is a detailed view showing a constituent part related to an operation system in the hydraulic system of fig. 7.

Fig. 10B is a detailed view showing a constituent part related to an operation system in the hydraulic system of fig. 7.

Fig. 10C is a detailed view showing a constituent part related to an operation system in the hydraulic system of fig. 7.

Fig. 10D is a detailed view showing a constituent part related to an operation system in the hydraulic system of fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing another example of display contents of the display device in the setting mode.

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing another example of the setting contents related to the construction area around the excavator.

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the operation device.

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the shovel management system.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the description of the present embodiment, the same or corresponding components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

[ brief description of the excavator ]

First, an outline of the shovel 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1 (fig. 1A and 1B).

Fig. 1A and 1B are external views of a shovel 100 according to the present embodiment. Specifically, fig. 1A is a side view of the shovel 100, and fig. 1B is a plan view of the shovel 100.

The shovel 100 according to the present embodiment includes: a lower traveling body 1; an upper revolving structure 3 rotatably mounted on the lower traveling structure 1 via a revolving mechanism 2; a boom 4, an arm 5, and a bucket 6, constituting an attachment AT; and a cab 10.

The lower traveling body 1 includes a pair of left and right crawler belts 1C, specifically, a left crawler belt 1CL and a right crawler belt 1 CR. The lower traveling body 1 causes the excavator 100 to travel by hydraulically driving the left crawler belt 1CL and the right crawler belt 1CR by the traveling hydraulic motor 2M. The traveling hydraulic motor 2M includes 2ML that drives the left crawler belt 1CL and a traveling hydraulic motor 2MR that drives the right crawler belt 1 CR.

The upper revolving structure 3 is driven by a revolving hydraulic motor 2A to revolve with respect to the lower traveling structure 1. The upper slewing body 3 may be driven by electric motor power instead of hydraulically by the slewing hydraulic motor 2A. Hereinafter, for convenience, the side of upper revolving structure 3 to which attachment AT is attached is referred to as the front side, and the side to which a counterweight is attached is referred to as the rear side.

A boom 4 is pivotably attached to the front center of the upper revolving structure 3 so as to be tiltable, an arm 5 is pivotably attached to the tip of the boom 4 so as to be vertically pivotable, and a bucket 6 is pivotably attached to the tip of the arm 5 so as to be vertically pivotable. The boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 are hydraulically driven by a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, and a bucket cylinder 9, which are hydraulic actuators, respectively.

Cab 10 is a cab on which an operator rides, and is mounted on the front left side of upper revolving unit 3.

[ example of an excavator ]

Next, an example of the shovel 100 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to fig. 2 to 8 in addition to fig. 1A and 1B.

Structure of excavator

First, the structure of the shovel 100 according to the present example will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 5.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration centered on a hydraulic system of the shovel 100 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 3 (fig. 3A and 3B) is a diagram showing a positional relationship of each component of the shovel 100 and a positional relationship between the shovel 100 and a surrounding object (a road cone RC in the present example). Specifically, fig. 3A and 3B are views showing the positional relationship of each component of the shovel 100 and the positional relationship between the shovel 100 and the surrounding object, respectively, as viewed from the right side surface and the top surface of the shovel 100. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration centered on a control system of the shovel 100. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of display contents of the display device in the camera mode.

In fig. 2, a mechanical power transmission system, a hydraulic oil line, a pilot line, and an electric control system are indicated by a double line, a solid line, a broken line, and a dotted line, respectively. In fig. 4, the mechanical power transmission system, the hydraulic oil line, the pilot line, the electric control system, and the electric power supply system are indicated by a double line, a thick solid line, a broken line, a dotted line, and a thin solid line, respectively. In fig. 3A, for the sake of clarity, the model of the attachment AT is simplified while omitting the illustration of the main components of the shovel 100 other than the attachment AT.

As described above, the shovel 100 according to the present example includes, as a configuration related to the hydraulic system, hydraulic actuators such as the travel hydraulic motors 2ML and 2MR, the turning hydraulic motor 2A, the boom cylinder 7, the arm cylinder 8, and the bucket cylinder 9, which hydraulically drive the lower traveling body 1, the upper revolving body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, respectively. The shovel 100 according to the present example includes an engine 11, a regulator 13, a main pump 14, a pilot pump 15, a control valve 17, an operation device 26, a discharge pressure sensor 28, an operation pressure sensor 29, and a pressure reducing valve 50 as components related to the hydraulic system.

The engine 11 is a main power source of a hydraulic system, and is mounted on the rear portion of the upper slewing body 3, for example. Specifically, the engine 11 drives the main pump 14, the pilot pump 15, and the like while rotating constantly at a preset target rotation speed under the control of the ECU 74. The engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine using diesel oil as fuel.

Regulator 13 controls the discharge rate of main pump 14. For example, the regulator 13 regulates the angle of a swash plate (hereinafter, referred to as "tilt angle") of the main pump 14 in accordance with a control command from the controller 30. The regulator 13 includes regulators 13L, 13R corresponding to main pumps 14L, 14R, respectively, which will be described later.

The main pump 14 is mounted on the rear portion of the upper slewing body 3, for example, in the same manner as the engine 11, and is driven by the engine 11 to supply hydraulic oil to the control valve 17 through the high-pressure hydraulic line as described above. The main pump 14 is, for example, a variable displacement hydraulic pump, and controls the discharge flow rate (discharge pressure) by adjusting the tilt angle of the swash plate by the regulator 13 to adjust the stroke length of the piston under the control of the controller 30 as described above. Main pump 14 includes main pumps 14L, 14R.

The pilot pump 15 is mounted, for example, on the rear portion of the upper slewing body 3, and supplies a pilot pressure to the operation device 26 via a pilot conduit. The pilot pump 15 is, for example, a fixed displacement hydraulic pump, and is driven by the engine 11 as described above.

The control valve 17 is a hydraulic control device mounted, for example, in the center portion of the upper slewing body 3 and configured to control a hydraulic actuator in response to an operation of the operation device 26 by an operator. As described above, the control valve 17 is connected to the main pump 14 via the high-pressure hydraulic line, and selectively supplies the hydraulic oil supplied from the main pump 14 to the hydraulic actuators (the traveling hydraulic motors 2ML, 2MR, the turning hydraulic motor 2A, the boom cylinder 7, the arm cylinder 8, and the bucket cylinder 9) in accordance with the operation state of the operation device 26. Specifically, the control valve 17 includes control valves 150 to 158 (see fig. 2) that control the flow rate, the flow direction, and the like of the hydraulic oil supplied from the main pump 14 to the respective hydraulic actuators.

As shown in fig. 2, the hydraulic system of the excavator 100 circulates hydraulic oil from the main pumps 14L, 14R driven by the engine 11 to the hydraulic oil tank via the center bypass lines 40L, 40R.

The center bypass line 40L reaches the hydraulic oil tank through the control valves 151, 153, 155, and 157 disposed in the control valve 17 in order from the main pump 14L.

The center bypass line 40R reaches the hydraulic oil tank through control valves 150, 152, 154, 156, and 158 arranged in the control valve 17 in order from the main pump 14R.

The control valve 150 is provided at the most upstream side of the center bypass line 40R, and switches between a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic oil from the main pumps 14L, 14R to the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML and the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR, respectively, and a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic oil from one main pump 14L to both of them, respectively. Specifically, when the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML, the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR, and the other hydraulic actuators are simultaneously operated, the control valve 150 allows the hydraulic oil on the upstream side of the center bypass line 40R to flow into the parallel line disposed in parallel with the center bypass line 40L so as to be supplied to the control valves 153, 155, and 157 on the downstream side of the control valve 151, and allows the hydraulic oil on the upstream side of the control valve 151 of the center bypass line 40L to flow into the downstream side of the center bypass line 40R. Thus, when the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML, the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR, and the other actuators are simultaneously operated, the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML and the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR are driven by the hydraulic oil supplied from the single main pump 14L, and therefore the straightness of the lower traveling body 1 is improved. On the other hand, when the other hydraulic actuator is not operated, the control valve 150 allows the hydraulic oil on the upstream side of the center bypass line 40R to flow directly to the downstream side, and allows the hydraulic oil on the upstream side of the center bypass line 40L to flow to the parallel line disposed in parallel with the center bypass line 40L so as to be supplied to the control valves 153, 155, and 157. Thus, the hydraulic oil from the main pumps 14L, 14R is supplied to the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML and the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR, respectively.

The control valve 151 is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14L to the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML and discharges the hydraulic oil in the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML to a hydraulic oil tank.

The control valve 152 is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R to the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR and discharges the hydraulic oil in the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR to a hydraulic oil tank.

The control valve 153 is a spool valve that supplies hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R to the boom cylinder 7.

The control valve 154 is a spool valve that supplies the boom cylinder 7 with the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14R and discharges the hydraulic oil in the boom cylinder 7 to a hydraulic oil tank.

The control valve 155 is a spool valve that supplies hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R to the arm cylinder 8 and discharges the hydraulic oil in the arm cylinder 8 to a hydraulic oil tank.

The control valve 156 is a spool valve that switches the flow direction of hydraulic oil in order to supply hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14R to the arm cylinder 8.

The control valve 157 is a spool valve that circulates the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R by the turning hydraulic motor 2A.

The control valve 158 is a spool valve that supplies hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14R to the bucket cylinder 9 and discharges the hydraulic oil in the bucket cylinder 9 to a hydraulic oil tank.

The operation device 26 is an operation input mechanism provided near a driver's seat of the cab 10 and used for an operator to operate various operation elements (the lower traveling structure 1, the upper revolving structure 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, and the like). In other words, the operation device 26 is an operation input mechanism for an operator to perform an operation for driving the hydraulic actuators (i.e., the traveling hydraulic motors 2ML and 2MR, the turning hydraulic motor 2A, the boom cylinder 7, the arm cylinder 8, the bucket cylinder 9, and the like) of the respective operation elements. The operating device 26 is connected to the control valve 17 via a pilot line on its secondary side. Thus, the pilot pressure corresponding to the operation state of the lower traveling structure 1, the upper revolving structure 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, and the like in the operation device 26 is input to the control valve 17. Therefore, the control valve 17 can selectively drive each hydraulic actuator according to the operation state in the operation device 26. The operation device 26 includes a boom operation lever 26A corresponding to the operation of the boom 4 (boom cylinder 7) and a swing operation lever 26B corresponding to the operation of the upper swing body 3 (swing hydraulic motor 2A).

The boom operation lever 26A is used for the raising and lowering operation of the boom 4. The boom operation lever 26A causes a control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to a lever operation amount (that is, a tilt amount, a tilt angle, or the like) to act on one of the left and right pilot ports of the control valve 154 by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. This controls the stroke of the valve body in the control valve 154, and controls the flow rate of the hydraulic oil supplied to the boom cylinder 7. The same applies to the control valve 153.

In fig. 2, for the sake of clarity, the illustration of the pilot line connecting boom control lever 26A to the left and right pilot ports of control valve 153 and the left pilot port of control valve 154, respectively, is omitted.

The turning operation lever 26B is an operation device that drives the turning hydraulic motor 2A to operate the turning mechanism 2. The swing operation lever 26B introduces a control pressure corresponding to the lever operation amount to either one of the left and right pilot ports of the control valve 157 by, for example, the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. This controls the stroke of the valve body in the control valve 157, and controls the flow rate supplied to the swing hydraulic motor 2A.

In fig. 2, for the sake of clarity, a pilot line connecting the swing lever 26B and the right pilot port of the control valve 157 is not shown.

Similarly, the operating device 26 includes a travel lever (or travel pedal), an arm operating lever, and a bucket operating lever that correspond to respective operations of the lower traveling body 1 (the travel hydraulic motors 2ML, 2MR), the arm 5 (the arm cylinder 8), and the bucket 6 (the bucket cylinder 9). That is, the travel lever (or travel pedal), the arm lever, and the bucket lever are used for the travel of the lower traveling body 1, the opening/closing of the arm 5, and the opening/closing of the bucket 6, respectively. As in the case of the boom operation lever 26A and the like, a control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to a lever operation amount (or a pedal operation amount corresponding to a stepping amount of a pedal) is applied to either of the left and right pilot ports of the corresponding control valve by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15.

The discharge pressure sensor 28 detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14. A detection signal corresponding to the discharge pressure detected by the discharge pressure sensor 28 is input to the controller 30. The discharge pressure sensors 28 include discharge pressure sensors 28L, 28R that detect the discharge pressures of the main pumps 14L, 14R, respectively.

The operation pressure sensor 29 detects a pilot pressure on the secondary side of the operation device 26, that is, a pilot pressure (hereinafter, referred to as "operation pressure") corresponding to an operation state (that is, operation content) of each operation element (that is, hydraulic actuator) in the operation device 26. A detection signal of the pilot pressure corresponding to the operation state of the lower traveling structure 1, the upper revolving structure 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, and the like in the operation device 26 detected by the operation pressure sensor 29 is input to the controller 30. The operation pressure sensor 29 includes operation pressure sensors 29A, 29B.

The operation pressure sensor 29A detects the content of the operation (for example, the operation direction and the lever operation amount) of the boom operation lever 26A by the operator as the operation pressure.

The operation pressure sensor 29B detects the operation content of the swing operation lever 26B by the operator as an operation pressure.

The operation pressure sensor 29 includes operation pressure sensors corresponding to the travel lever (or travel pedal), the arm lever, and the bucket lever, respectively. As with the operation pressure sensors 29A, 29B, they detect the operation content of the operator or the like in the form of operation pressure, respectively.

The pressure reducing valve 50 is provided in a pilot line on the secondary side of the operation device 26, that is, a pilot line between the operation device 26 and the control valve 17, and adjusts (reduces) a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content (operation amount) of the operation device 26 under the control of the controller 30. Thus, the controller 30 can control the pressure reducing valve 50 to restrict the operation of various operation elements. The pressure reducing valve 50 includes pressure reducing valves 50L, 50R.

The pressure reducing valve 50L is provided in a pilot line between the swing lever 26B and the control valve 157, and adjusts (reduces) a control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to the content of an operation (hereinafter referred to as a "swing operation") on the upper swing body 3 of the swing lever 26B under the control of the controller 30.

In fig. 2, a configuration for adjusting the control pressure acting on the left pilot port of the control valve 157 is shown, and a configuration for adjusting the control pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 157 is omitted.

The pressure reducing valve 50R is provided in a pilot line between the boom control lever 26A and the control valve 154, and adjusts (reduces) a control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to the content of an operation of the boom 4 with respect to the boom control lever 26A (hereinafter, referred to as a "boom operation") under the control of the controller 30.

In fig. 2, a configuration for adjusting the control pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 154 is shown, and a configuration for adjusting the control pressure acting on the left pilot port of the control valve 154 is omitted.

As a configuration related to the Control system, the shovel 100 according to the present example mainly includes a controller 30, an ECU (Engine Control Unit) 74, a boom angle sensor S1, an arm angle sensor S2, a bucket angle sensor S3, a body tilt sensor S4, a turning state sensor S5, a boom cylinder pressure sensor 7a, an object detection device 70, an imaging device 80, a display device D1, and an audio output device D2.

The controller 30 is a control device that is mounted inside the cab 10, for example, and drives and controls the shovel 100. The controller 30 operates using the electric power supplied from the battery BT. Hereinafter, the same applies to the display device D1 and various sensors (for example, the object detection device 70, the imaging device 80, the boom angle sensor S1, and the like). The functions of the controller 30 may be implemented by any hardware or any combination of hardware and software. The controller 30 is mainly configured by a computer including a Memory device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), a nonvolatile auxiliary Memory device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an input/output interface device with the outside. At this time, the controller 30 can implement various functions by reading a program installed in the auxiliary storage device and loading it into the memory device to be executed on the CPU.

Further, a part of the functions of the controller 30 may be realized by another controller (control device). That is, the functions of the controller 30 may be implemented in a distributed manner by a plurality of controllers. The battery BT is charged with the generated power of the alternator 11b driven by the engine 11.

For example, the controller 30 controls the regulator 13 and the like based on detection signals input from various sensors such as the slave arm angle sensor S1, the arm angle sensor S2, the bucket angle sensor S3, the boom cylinder pressure sensor 7a, the discharge pressure sensor 28, and the operation pressure sensor 29.

Then, for example, the controller 30 outputs a control signal to the pressure reducing valve 50 to adjust a control pressure (pilot pressure) applied to the control valve 17, thereby controlling (restricting) the operation of various operating elements driven by the hydraulic actuator. Specifically, the controller 30 may output a control signal to the pressure reducing valve 50L to adjust a control pressure applied to the control valve 157, thereby controlling (restricting) the slewing operation of the upper slewing body 3. The controller 30 may output a control signal to the pressure reducing valve 50R to adjust the control pressure applied to the control valve 154, thereby controlling (restricting) the raising operation (hereinafter, referred to as a "boom raising operation") and the lowering operation (hereinafter, referred to as a "boom lowering operation") of the boom 4.

The controller 30 (an example of the setting unit) performs setting of the construction area around the excavator 100 in accordance with an operation input to the operation input unit D1c by an operator or the like, for example. The setting related to the construction area includes setting of a target object (hereinafter, referred to as a "target object") in the construction area, setting of an object to be avoided (hereinafter, referred to as an "avoided object") in the construction area, and the like, with respect to a predetermined construction performed by operating various operational requirements of the shovel 100. The target object in the construction area may include, for example, a dump truck as a loading target when loading and discharging soil, a soil pipe when replacing an embedded soil pipe, a target construction surface in a device guide function and a device control function described later, and the like. Also, the object to be avoided in the construction area may include obstacles such as a road cone, a wall, a utility pole, and an electric wire, for example. The target to be avoided in the construction area may include a target construction surface (specifically, a portion of the target construction surface on which construction is completed) in the equipment guidance function and the equipment control function. This is because the target construction surface on which construction is completed needs to be protected from damage. The object to be avoided in the construction area may include a virtual object (for example, a virtual wall VW described later) defined by a plurality of obstacles (objects) such as road cones. Details of this function of the controller 30 will be described later (see fig. 6 to 8, 11, and 12).

Then, for example, the controller 30 recognizes the current posture of the shovel 100 as a premise for controlling the operation of various operation elements. Hereinafter, this function of the controller 30 will be specifically described with reference to fig. 3A and 3B.

As shown in fig. 3A, the boom 4 swings (pivots) up and down about a pivot axis J parallel to the Y axis with respect to the upper swing body 3, an arm 5 is rotatably attached to a tip end of the boom 4, and a bucket 6 is rotatably attached to a tip end of the arm 5. A boom angle sensor S1 is attached to a coupling portion (point P1) between the upper swing body 3 and the boom 4, an arm angle sensor S2 is attached to a coupling portion (point P2) between the boom 4 and the arm 5, and a bucket angle sensor S3 is attached to a coupling portion (point P3) between the arm 5 and the bucket 6.

In fig. 3A and 3B, the swing axis J is disposed at a position away from the rotation axis K (Z axis), but may be disposed so that the rotation axis K intersects with the swing axis J.

The boom angle sensor S1 measures, for example, an angle β 1 between the longitudinal direction of the boom 4 and the reference horizontal plane. The reference level is, for example, a ground plane of the shovel 100. The arm angle sensor S2 measures, for example, an angle δ 1 between the longitudinal direction of the boom 4 and the longitudinal direction of the arm 5, and the bucket angle sensor S3 measures, for example, an angle δ 2 between the longitudinal direction of the arm 5 and the longitudinal direction of the bucket 6. At this time, the longitudinal direction of the boom 4 is a direction along a straight line passing through the connection portion at both ends of the boom 4, that is, the point P1 and the point P2, in a reference vertical plane (XZ plane) perpendicular to the swing axis J. The longitudinal direction of the arm 5 is a direction along a straight line passing through the connection portion between the ends of the arm 5, i.e., the point P2 and the point P3, in the reference vertical plane. The longitudinal direction of the bucket 6 is a direction along a straight line passing through a connection portion with the arm 5 and a cutting edge of the bucket 6, that is, a point P3 and a point P4, in the reference vertical plane.

As shown in fig. 3B, upper revolving unit 3 is configured to be freely revolving left and right about revolving shaft K constituting the Z axis with respect to lower traveling unit 1, and as described above, body inclination sensor S4 and revolving state sensor S5 are attached to upper revolving unit 3.

The body inclination sensor S4 measures, for example, an angle (lateral inclination angle) between the lateral axis (Y axis) of the upper revolving structure 3 and the reference horizontal plane, and an angle (longitudinal inclination angle) between the front-rear axis (X axis) of the upper revolving structure 3 and the reference horizontal plane. The turning state sensor S5 measures, for example, an angle α between the longitudinal direction of the lower traveling unit 1 and the front-rear axis (X axis) of the upper turning body 3. At this time, the longitudinal direction of the lower traveling body 1 is the extending direction (traveling direction) of the crawler belt 1C.

The controller 30 can derive the relative position of a point P1 (the connection portion between the upper revolving unit 3 and the boom 4) with reference to an origin O (e.g., an intersection of a reference horizontal plane and the Z axis) from the detection signals of the body inclination sensor S4 and the revolving state sensor S5. This is because point P1 is fixed to upper slewing body 3. The controller 30 can derive the relative positions of the points P2 to P4 with reference to the point P1 from the detection signals of the boom angle sensor S1, the arm angle sensor S2, and the bucket angle sensor S3, respectively. Similarly, the controller 30 can derive the relative position of an arbitrary portion of the attachment AT such as a predetermined position of the back surface of the bucket 6 with reference to the point P1.

Further, the controller 30 can derive the relative position of the point P5 (the mounting position of the front sensor 70F in the upper revolving unit 3) with reference to the origin O from the relative position of the point P1 with reference to the origin O. This is because the front sensor 70F is fixed to the upper surface of the cab 10. That is, this is because the relative positional relationship between point P1 and point P5 does not change even when the operation of attachment AT and the swing operation of upper swing body 3 are performed.

Similarly, the controller 30 can derive the relative positions of the mounting positions of the rear sensor 70B, the left sensor 70L, and the right sensor 70R in the upper revolving structure 3 from the relative position of the point P1 with reference to the origin O.

The controller 30 can derive the relative position of the point P6 (the position of the road cone RC disposed around the shovel 100) with reference to the origin O from the relative position of the point P5 with reference to the origin O. This is because the front sensor 70F can detect the distance and direction from the point P5 to the road cone RC.

The positional relationship between the road cone RC as the detected object and the shovel 100 is updated continuously at a predetermined control cycle. Therefore, the coordinates of P6 corresponding to the positions of the road cone RC on the X, Y, and Z axes with the origin O on the rotation axis K of the shovel 100 as the center are constantly updated in the control cycle.

When the local coordinate system is determined during measurement at the construction site, the position of the shovel 100 can be determined as shovel coordinates on the local coordinate system at the construction site. Therefore, the detected position of the road cone RC can be specified as the road cone coordinates in the local coordinate system of the construction site. At this time, the positional relationship between the road cone RC and the excavator 100 is calculated in a form corresponding to the local coordinate system of the construction site determined at the time of measurement.

When a local coordinate system centered on the origin O on the revolving shaft K of the shovel 100 is used, when a local coordinate system of a construction site specified at the time of measurement is used, or when a world geodetic system is further used, the shovel coordinates and the road cone coordinates are changed every time the shovel revolves or travels. This enables the controller 30 to always grasp the positions of each other. Further, for example, even when the constructor or the like moves the road cone RC, the controller 30 can specify the position of the moved road cone RC.

In this way, the controller 30 can derive the posture of the attachment AT, the position of the cutting edge of the bucket 6, the position of an object (for example, the road cone RC) located around the excavator 100, and the like from the detection signals (output signals) of the boom angle sensor S1, the arm angle sensor S2, the bucket angle sensor S3, the body inclination sensor S4, the turning state sensor S5, and the object detection device 70.

The ECU74 drivingly controls the engine 11 under the control of the controller 30. For example, the ECU74 starts the engine 11 by appropriately controlling the fuel injection device and the like in response to an ignition operation in accordance with the operation of the starter 11a driven by electric power from the battery BT. Then, for example, the ECU74 appropriately controls the fuel injection device and the like so that the engine 11 is constantly rotated at a set rotation speed specified in a control signal from the controller 30 (synchronous control).

Alternatively, the engine 11 may be directly controlled by the controller 30. At this time, the ECU74 may be omitted.

The boom angle sensor S1 is attached to the boom 4 and detects a pitch angle θ 1 of the boom 4 with respect to the upper swing body 3 (hereinafter referred to as a "boom angle"). The boom angle θ 1 is, for example, an elevation angle from a state where the boom 4 is lowered to the lowest position. At this time, the boom angle θ 1 becomes maximum when the boom 4 is raised to the highest position. The boom angle sensor S1 may include, for example, a rotary encoder, an acceleration sensor, a six-axis sensor, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), and the like, and the same applies to the arm angle sensor S2, the bucket angle sensor S3, and the body inclination sensor S4. The boom angle sensor S1 may be a stroke sensor attached to the boom cylinder 7, and the same applies to the arm angle sensor S2 and the bucket angle sensor S3. A detection signal corresponding to the boom angle θ 1 detected by the boom angle sensor S1 is input to the controller 30.

The arm angle sensor S2 is attached to the arm 5, and detects a turning angle θ 2 of the arm 5 with respect to the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as "arm angle"). The arm angle θ 2 is, for example, an opening angle from a state in which the arm 5 is retracted to the maximum. At this time, the arm angle θ 2 becomes maximum when the arm 5 is opened to the maximum. A detection signal corresponding to the arm angle detected by the arm angle sensor S2 is input to the controller 30.

The bucket angle sensor S3 is attached to the bucket 6, and detects a rotation angle (hereinafter referred to as "bucket angle") θ 3 of the bucket 6 with respect to the arm 5. The bucket angle θ 3 is an opening angle from a state where the bucket 6 is maximally retracted. At this time, the bucket angle θ 3 becomes maximum when the bucket 6 is maximally opened. A detection signal corresponding to the bucket angle detected by the bucket angle sensor S3 is input to the controller 30.

The body inclination sensor S4 detects the inclination state of the body (e.g., the upper slewing body 3) with respect to a predetermined plane (e.g., a horizontal plane). The body inclination sensor S4 is attached to the upper revolving structure 3, for example, and detects the inclination angle (hereinafter referred to as "front-rear inclination angle" and "left-right inclination angle") of the excavator 100 (i.e., the upper revolving structure 3) about two axes in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. A detection signal corresponding to the inclination angle (the pitch angle and the yaw angle) detected by the body inclination sensor S4 is input to the controller 30.

The turning state sensor S5 is attached to the upper turning body 3 and outputs detection information relating to the turning state of the upper turning body 3. The turning state sensor S5 detects, for example, a turning angular velocity or a turning angle of the upper turning body 3. The turning state sensor S5 includes, for example, a gyro sensor, a resolver, a rotary encoder, and the like.

When the body tilt sensor S4 includes a gyro sensor, a six-axis sensor, an IMU, and the like capable of detecting angular velocities about three axes, the turning state (for example, turning angular velocity) of the upper turning body 3 may be detected based on a detection signal of the body tilt sensor S4. At this time, the turning state sensor S5 may be omitted.

The boom cylinder pressure sensor 7a detects the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the bottom side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as "boom bottom pressure"). A detection signal corresponding to the boom bottom pressure detected by the boom cylinder pressure sensor 7a is input to the controller 30.

The object detection device 70 detects an object existing around the shovel 100. The detection target object includes, for example, a person, an animal, a vehicle, a construction machine, a building, a wall, a fence, a pit, and the like. The object detection device 70 includes, for example, at least one of a monocular camera, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter wave radar, a stereo camera, a LIDAR, a range image sensor, an infrared sensor, and the like. The object detection device 70 may be configured to detect a predetermined object in a predetermined area provided around the shovel 100. The object detection device 70 may be configured to be able to distinguish the type of object, for example, to distinguish a person from an object other than a person. For example, the object detection device 70 may be configured to detect a predetermined object or distinguish the type of the object from a predetermined model such as a pattern recognition model or a machine learning model. The object detection device 70 includes a front sensor 70F, a rear sensor 70B, a left sensor 70L, and a right sensor 70R. Output signals corresponding to detection results detected by the object detection device 70 (by the front sensor 70F, the rear sensor 70B, the left sensor 70L, and the right sensor 70R, respectively) are input to the controller 30.

Front sensor 70F is attached to, for example, the front end of the upper surface of cab 10, and detects an object present in front of upper revolving unit 3.

Rear sensor 70B is attached to, for example, the rear end of the upper surface of upper revolving unit 3, and detects an object existing behind upper revolving unit 3.

Left sensor 70L is attached to, for example, the left end of the upper surface of upper revolving unit 3, and detects an object present on the left side of upper revolving unit 3.

Right side sensor 70R is attached to, for example, the right end of the upper surface of upper revolving unit 3, and detects an object present on the right side of upper revolving unit 3.

The imaging device 80 images the surrounding situation of the shovel 100 and outputs an imaged image. The imaging device 80 includes a front camera 80F, a rear camera 80B, a left camera 80L, and a right camera 80R. Captured images captured by the imaging device 80 (by the front camera 80F, the rear camera 80B, the left camera 80L, and the right camera 80R, respectively) are input to the display device D1. The captured image captured by the imaging device 80 is input to the controller 30 via the display device D1. The captured image captured by the imaging device 80 may be directly input to the controller 30 without being displayed on the display device D1.

Front camera 80F is attached to the front end of the upper surface of cab 10, for example, so as to be adjacent to front sensor 70F, and captures an image of the front of upper revolving unit 3.

Rear camera 80B is attached to the rear end of the upper surface of upper revolving unit 3, for example, so as to be adjacent to rear sensor 70B, and photographs the rear of upper revolving unit 3.

Left camera 80L is attached to the left end of the upper surface of upper revolving unit 3, for example, so as to be adjacent to left sensor 70L, and captures the left side of upper revolving unit 3.

Right side camera 80R is attached to the right end of the upper surface of upper revolving unit 3 so as to be adjacent to right side sensor 70R, and photographs the right side of upper revolving unit 3.

In addition, when the object detection device 70 includes an imaging device such as a monocular camera or a stereo camera, a part or all of the functions of the imaging device 80 may be integrated into the object detection device 70. For example, in the case where the front sensor 70F includes an image pickup device, the functions of the front camera 80F may be collected in the front sensor 70F. The same applies to the functions of the rear camera 80B, the left camera 80L, and the right camera 80R when the rear sensor 70B, the left sensor 70L, and the right sensor 70R include imaging devices, respectively.

The display device D1 is attached to a position easily recognized by an operator sitting in a seat in the cab 10, for example, and displays various information images. The display device D1 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display. For example, the display device D1 displays a captured image input from the imaging device 80 or a converted image obtained by applying a predetermined conversion process to the captured image (for example, a viewpoint converted image or a synthesized image obtained by synthesizing a plurality of captured images). The display device D1 includes a display control unit D1a, an image display unit D1b, and an operation input unit D1 c.

The display controller D1a performs a control process of displaying various information images on the image display unit D1b in accordance with an operation input to the operation input unit D1c by an operator or the like. Similarly to the controller 30, the display control unit D1a may be configured mainly by a computer including, for example, a memory device such as a CPU or a RAM, an auxiliary storage device such as a ROM, and an interface device for input and output with the outside.

The function of the display controller D1a may be provided outside the display device D1, and may be realized by the controller 30, for example.

The image display unit D1b is an area portion for displaying an information image on the display device D1. The image display unit D1b is formed of, for example, a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel.

The operation input unit D1c receives an operation input related to the display device D1. An operation input signal corresponding to an operation input to the operation input unit D1c is input to the display control unit D1 a. The operation input unit D1c may receive various operation inputs related to the shovel 100 other than the display device D1. At this time, operation input signals corresponding to various operation inputs to the operation input unit D1c are directly or indirectly input to the controller 30 via the display control unit D1 a. The operation input unit D1c includes, for example, a touch panel mounted on a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel as the image display unit D1 b. The operation input unit D1c may include any operation member such as a touch panel, a button, a switch, and a lever, which are separate from the image display unit D1 b.

Further, an operation input unit other than the display device D1, which receives various operation inputs related to the shovel 100, may be provided separately from the display device D1 (operation input unit D1 c).

The display device D1 has a plurality of operation modes having different display contents under the control of the display control unit D1 a. The display device D1 switches between a plurality of operation modes according to a predetermined operation performed by the operator. The plurality of operation modes include, for example, an ambient image mode, a setting mode, and a preview mode. Hereinafter, the same may be applied to another example of the shovel 100 described later.

In the surrounding image mode, an image (hereinafter, referred to as a "surrounding image") indicating the situation around the shovel 100 based on the captured image of the imaging device 80 is displayed on the display device D1 (the image display unit D1 b). The surrounding image may be an output image (captured image) of at least one of the front camera 80F, the rear camera 80B, the left camera 80L, and the right camera 80R, for example. The surrounding image may be a viewpoint conversion image generated from an output image of at least one of the front camera 80F, the rear camera 80B, the left camera 80L, and the right camera 80R. The viewpoint conversion image may be a combination of an overhead image when a relatively close range around the shovel 100 is viewed from directly above and a horizontal image when a relatively far range around the shovel 100 is viewed from the shovel 100 in the horizontal direction, for example.

For example, as shown in fig. 5, in the surrounding image mode, a surrounding image 500 is displayed on the display device D1. Further, information images 501 to 510 representing various information about the shovel 100 are displayed on the display device D1. The information images 501 to 510 are displayed so as to be superimposed on the surrounding image 500 at the upper end or the lower end of the display region (the image display unit D1 b). Thus, the information images 501 to 510 can ensure the visibility of the surrounding image 500 and allow the operator to recognize various information.

The current time is displayed in the information image 501.

The information image 502 displays a driving mode corresponding to the engine speed set by a predetermined input means (for example, an engine speed adjustment dial).

The type of the set walking pattern of the lower walking body 1 is displayed in the information image 503. The traveling mode indicates a setting state of the traveling hydraulic motors 1L and 1R using the variable displacement motor. For example, the walking mode has a low-speed mode in which a marker resembling a "turtle" is displayed and a high-speed mode in which a marker resembling a "rabbit" is displayed.

An icon indicating the type of currently installed attachment is displayed in the information image 504.

The control state of the engine 11 is displayed in the information image 505. In the present example, the "automatic deceleration/automatic stop mode" is selected as the control state of the engine 11. The "automatic deceleration/automatic stop mode" means a control state in which the engine speed is automatically reduced according to the duration of the non-operation state of the shovel 100, and the engine 11 is automatically stopped. The control state of the engine 11 indicated in the information image 505 may further include an "automatic deceleration mode", an "automatic stop mode", a "manual deceleration mode", and the like.

The remaining amount of urea water used in a urea SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) system stored in a urea water tank of the shovel 100 is displayed in the information image 506. In the present example, a scale bar indicating the current state of the remaining amount of urea water is displayed on the information image 506. The remaining amount of the urea solution is displayed based on data output from a remaining amount of urea solution sensor provided in the urea solution tank.

The information image 507 displays the state of the remaining amount of fuel stored in the fuel tank. In this example, a scale bar indicating the current remaining fuel amount state is displayed in the information image 507. The remaining amount of fuel is displayed based on data output from a fuel remaining amount sensor provided in the fuel tank.

The information image 508 displays the temperature state of the cooling water of the engine 11 (hereinafter referred to as "engine cooling water"). In the present example, a scale bar indicating the temperature state of the engine cooling water is displayed in the information image 508. The temperature of the engine cooling water is displayed based on data output from a water temperature sensor provided in the engine 11.

The information image 509 displays the cumulative operating time of the engine 11. In this example, the information image 509 displays the cumulative operating time in units of "hr" (time). As the cumulative operating time of the engine 11, the information image 509 may display the lifetime operating time of the entire period after the excavator 100 is manufactured, or may display the interval operating time after the operator restarts counting.

The range of the surrounding image displayed as the surrounding image 500 is displayed in the information image 510. The information image 510 includes a shovel image 510a indicating the shape of the shovel 100 and a belt-shaped direction display image 510b indicating the imaging direction of the imaging device 80 that captures the displayed surrounding image 500.

In this example, a direction display image 510b is displayed below the shovel image 510a (on the opposite side of the figure showing the attachment). This means that the image of the rear of the shovel 100 captured by the rear camera 80B included in the imaging device 80 is displayed as the surrounding image 500. For example, when the image captured by the right camera 80R included in the imaging device 80 is displayed as the surrounding image 500, the image 510b is displayed in the right side display direction of the shovel image 510 a. Further, for example, when the image captured by the left camera 80L included in the imaging device 80 is displayed as the surrounding image 500, the image 510b is displayed in the left side display direction of the shovel image 510 a.

In the setting mode, a setting screen related to a construction area around the excavator 100 described later is displayed. Details thereof will be described later (refer to fig. 6 and 11).

In the preview mode, the contents of the settings related to the construction area around the excavator 100, which will be described later, are displayed. Details thereof will be described later (refer to fig. 7).

The sound output device D2 is mounted inside the cab 10, for example, and outputs sound under the control of the controller 30. The sound output device D2 is, for example, a buzzer, a speaker, or the like.

Method for setting up a construction area around a shovel

Next, a method of setting a construction area around the shovel 100 by the controller 30 will be described with reference to fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of display contents of the display device D1 in the setting mode. Specifically, fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen (setting screen 600) related to a construction area around the shovel 100. In the present example, the setting screen 600 is an operation screen for setting the avoidance target in the construction area in response to an operation of the operation input unit D1c by an operator or the like, as a specific example of the setting regarding the construction area. Then, the controller 30 performs the setting of the avoidance target in accordance with the operation on the setting screen 600.

In the setting mode, the display device D1 can display the contents of the setting screen 600 superimposed on the display contents of the ambient image mode (for example, the ambient image 500 and the information images 501 to 510 in fig. 5). At this time, the content of the setting screen 600 may be displayed so as to be superimposed on the portion of the surrounding image 500 located at the center in the vertical direction of the display region (the image display unit D1b) in the display content of the surrounding image mode. Thus, in the setting mode, the contents of the setting screen 600 and the contents of the information images 501 to 510 are displayed on the display device D1 so as to be recognizable by the operator.

The display device D1 displays the setting screen 600 on the image display unit D1b under the control of the display control unit D1 a. Specifically, an image captured by the imaging device 80 (the left camera 80L in this example) (an example of an image showing a construction area) is displayed on the setting screen 600. In this example, two road cones RC (see fig. 7) are arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction on the ground on the left side of the shovel 100, and the two road cones RC are also reflected (included) in the captured image of the left side camera 80L. In this example, the two road cones RC are arranged to divide a road between a construction site where the shovel 100 is located and a road on which vehicles pass, and a center line 606 of the road is shown on the setting screen 600 (i.e., the image captured by the imaging device 80).

The display control unit D1a causes the image display unit D1b to display the captured image of the imaging device 80 (setting screen 600) in a state where coordinates predetermined in advance for the construction area are associated with pixels (an example of an image forming portion) of the captured image of the imaging device 80 with reference to a predetermined coordinate system (hereinafter, for convenience, referred to as a "setting coordinate system"). At this time, the coordinate position on an arbitrary plane such as the ground surface or the ground surface of the shovel 100 may be associated with the pixel. Further, the detected object such as a road cone (see fig. 3A and 3B) may be associated with a pixel (specifically, a pixel in which a range of the detected object is reflected). Thus, for example, the operator or the like can designate a part of the construction area corresponding to the coordinates associated with a certain pixel of the captured image of the setting screen 600, that is, a part of the construction area reflected on the certain pixel by designating the certain pixel through the operation input unit D1 c. In this case, the designation of the pixel of the captured image on the setting screen 600 may be performed by a fingertip (for example, a click operation) of an operator or the like via a touch panel, or may be performed by a cursor movement and a determination operation via a mouse, a joystick or the like. The processing of associating the coordinates of the construction area in the setting coordinate system with each pixel in the captured image of the imaging device 80 may be performed by the display controller D1a, or may be performed outside the display device D1, for example, by the controller 30. The coordinate system for setting may be, for example, a local coordinate system (for example, a local coordinate system of a construction site specified at the time of measurement) uniquely set (fixed) in a certain geographical range such as a construction site of the excavator 100, or may be an absolute coordinate system (for example, a world geodetic system) represented by longitude, latitude, altitude, and the like. The coordinate system for setting may be a local coordinate system fixed to the shovel 100 with reference to a predetermined position of the shovel 100, that is, a moving coordinate system (for example, an XYZ coordinate system fixed to the upper revolving structure 3 shown in fig. 3A and 3B). Hereinafter, the same applies to the case of another example (fig. 9) of the shovel 100 described later.

The display controller D1a may reduce or enlarge the reduced size of the image captured by the imaging device 80 in the image display unit D1b (setting screen 600) in response to a predetermined operation input (for example, a reduction operation or an enlargement operation on the touch panel) to the operation input unit D1c by an operator or the like. That is, the display controller D1a can change the display area of the captured image of the imaging device 80 in the image display unit D1b by reducing or enlarging the scale of the captured image of the imaging device 80. At this time, of course, the correspondence between the coordinates on the setting coordinate system and the pixels, such as the object corresponding to the coordinates, is changed in accordance with the change in the reduced scale of the captured image of the image display unit D1b (setting screen 600).

The display controller D1a may change the display area of the setting screen 600 on the captured image of the periphery of the shovel 100 (specifically, the front, rear, left, and right sides of the upper revolving structure 3) output from the imaging device 80 in accordance with an operation input (for example, a flick operation or a slide operation on a touch panel) to the operation input unit D1c by an operator or the like. For example, when the operator or the like performs a flick operation or a slide operation to the left side of the touch panel, an area of the captured image that is not displayed on the right side of the setting screen 600 is gradually displayed on the setting screen 600. In this example, in the setting screen 600, the image captured by the left camera 80L is gradually switched to the image captured by the front camera 80F. At this time, the display controller D1a may continuously switch the display area displayed on the setting screen 600 among the captured images output from the imaging device 80 so as to show the situation around the shovel 100 without interruption in accordance with the operation input to the operation input unit D1c by the operator or the like. The display controller D1a may select a camera corresponding to the captured image displayed on the setting screen 600 from the front camera 80F, the rear camera 80B, the left camera 80L, and the right camera 80R in accordance with an operation input to the operation input unit D1c by an operator or the like. That is, the display controller D1a may switch the display area displayed on the setting screen 600 among the captured images output from the imaging device 80, among the captured images, in accordance with the operation input to the operation input unit D1c by the operator or the like, in accordance with the captured images of the front camera 80F, the rear camera 80B, the left camera 80L, and the right camera 80R. This allows the operator or the like to switch the region of the captured image displayed on the setting screen 600 in accordance with the operation of the operation input unit D1 c. The display controller D1a may change the display area of the captured image on the setting screen 600 in the vertical direction in accordance with an operation input (for example, a flick operation or a slide operation on the touch panel) from the operation input unit D1c by an operator or the like. When the display area of the captured image on the image display unit D1b (setting screen 600) is changed, it is needless to say that the correspondence between the coordinates on the coordinate system for setting, the object corresponding to the coordinates, and the like, and the pixels is also changed in accordance with the change in the display area of the captured image on the setting screen 600.

Specifically, the imaging device 80 (the front camera 80F, the rear camera 80B, the left side camera 80L, and the right side camera 80R) is fixed to the upper revolving structure 3, and an imaging range (angle of view) is predetermined (fixed). Therefore, for example, by considering the topographic shape of the construction area within the imaging range in advance, the relative position of the portion of the construction area (topographic shape) that is reflected in each pixel of the image captured by the imaging device 80 when viewed from the excavator 100 (upper revolving structure 3) can be determined. Further, for example, when an object is detected by the object detection device 70 in a construction area within the imaging range, the relative position of the object when viewed from the excavator 100, the type, the size, and the like are taken into consideration, and thereby the relative position of the pixel group corresponding to the object reflected in the captured image of the imaging device 80 in the shape of a covering terrain when viewed from the excavator 100 (upper revolving structure 3) can be specified. Therefore, the display control unit D1a, the controller 30, or the like can associate coordinates predetermined for the construction area along the setting coordinate system with each pixel of the captured image of the imaging device 80. For example, in the case where the coordinate system for setting is a moving coordinate system fixed to upper revolving unit 3, the correspondence may be realized based on a map (hereinafter referred to as "correspondence map") indicating a correspondence relationship between each pixel of the captured image and a relative position with respect to imaging device 80 (front camera 80F, rear camera 80B, left side camera 80L, or right side camera 80R). In the case where the setting coordinate system is a fixed coordinate system fixed to the construction area, the correspondence may be realized by, for example, the correspondence map and a conversion formula or a conversion map for converting a predetermined relative position in the correspondence map into a coordinate of the setting coordinate system. In this case, it is needless to say that the position (coordinates) of the shovel 100 in the coordinate System for setting, which is determined based on the positioning result of the positioning device such as a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) device mounted on the upper revolving structure 3, may be considered, for example, as a conversion formula, a conversion map, or the like. The conversion formula, conversion map, and the like may be appropriately modified according to the inclination state of the upper revolving structure 3, the presence of an object detected by the object detection device 70 within the imaging range of the imaging device 80, and the like. This is because the portion of the construction area (the topographic shape) included in the captured image of the imaging device 80 changes depending on the inclination state of the excavator 100. Further, for example, when an object exists in the imaging range of the imaging device 80 in the coordinate system for setting, the detected object is reflected in the captured image so as to cover the background (terrain or the like) on the back side, and the relative positions of the pixels corresponding to the image portion defined in the map are deviated as described above.

Further, object detection information including the presence or absence of an object detected by the object detection device 70, the position of the object present (for example, the relative position when viewed from the upper slewing body 3), and the like may be notified (shared) from the controller 30 to the display control unit D1 a. Hereinafter, the same applies to another example of the shovel 100 described later.

The display control unit D1a causes the image display unit D1b to display the captured image of the imaging device 80 in a state where the coordinates of the object (object) detected in the construction area by the object detection device 70 with reference to the setting coordinate system are associated with the pixels of the object (for example, pixels including the image portion of the object) in the captured image corresponding to the imaging device 80 (setting screen 600). For example, the correspondence may be realized by the display control unit D1a or the like by specifying pixels corresponding to the coordinates of the object detected by the object detection device 70 (for example, representative coordinates, or a plurality of coordinates corresponding to a plurality of portions of the object) in the correspondence map, and distinguishing one or a plurality of specified pixels by a mark or the like. Hereinafter, the same applies to the case of another example (fig. 9) of the shovel 100 described later. Thus, for example, the operator or the like can specify the object located at the coordinates corresponding to the specified pixel by specifying the pixel of the image portion on which the object is reflected (included) in the captured image of the setting screen 600 via the operation input unit D1 c.

In the present example, as described above, two road cones RC (an example of an object) are reflected in the captured image of the left camera 80L constituting the setting screen 600. Therefore, the operator or the like can specify the road cone RC by specifying the pixels of the image portion including the road cone RC through the operation input portion D1c (for example, a click operation on the touch panel). The object detected by the road cone RC or the like may be specified by a double-click operation or a long-press operation.

Specifically, when a road cone RC on the left side of the setting screen 600, that is, a pixel of an image portion including a road cone RC on the front side with respect to the upper revolving structure 3 is specified, the display control unit D1a causes a triangular icon 601 surrounding a pixel group including the road cone RC to be displayed on the setting screen 600. Then, the display control unit D1a notifies the controller 30 that the road cone RC is specified. Thus, the controller 30 can set the road cone RC on the front side with respect to the upper slewing body 3 as the avoidance target at the time of construction of the excavator 100.

Similarly, when a right side road cone RC of the setting screen 600, that is, a pixel of an image portion including a rear side road cone RC with reference to the upper revolving structure 3 is designated, the display control unit D1a causes the setting screen 600 to display a triangular icon 602 surrounding a pixel group including the road cone RC. Then, the display control unit D1a notifies the controller 30 that the road cone RC is specified. Thus, the controller 30 can set the road cone RC on the rear side with respect to the upper slewing body 3 as the avoidance target at the time of construction of the excavator 100.

When two road cones RC are designated on the setting screen 600, the controller 30 may set an avoidance target section (hereinafter, referred to as "avoidance target section") to compensate for a space between the two road cones. For example, a wall (hereinafter, referred to as a "virtual wall") extending from a line segment connecting the two road cones RC to a predetermined height (for example, 10m) in the vertical direction as a virtual avoidance target section may be set. For example, the operator or the like can set a virtual wall between two road cones RC by designating the two road cones RC on the setting screen 600 by a click operation or the like on the touch panel and then performing a drag operation from one side to the other side. At this time, the display control unit D1a displays a rectangular icon 603 indicating that a virtual wall is set between the two designated road cones RC on the setting screen 600. This allows the operator to recognize that a virtual wall is set between the road and the area of the construction site where the shovel 100 is located.

In addition, a tapered rod may be provided between the two road cones RC. At this time, in the case where two road cones RC are designated, the controller 30 may set a virtual wall along the cone rod. When three or more road cones RC are provided around the shovel 100, virtual walls of the plurality of road cones RC may be connected to each other. For example, when the road cone RC is disposed so as to surround the shovel 100 and all the road cones are designated, a plurality of virtual walls defined by the road cone RC and connected so as to surround the circumference of the shovel 100 may be set.

Further, the dummy wall may be provided not only between the two road cones RC but also extended (expanded) to a space further outside than the two road cones RC. For example, when an operation of stretching the left end portion of the icon 603 to the left is performed via the operation input unit D1c, specifically, an operation of dragging the left end portion of the icon 603 to the left is performed via a touch panel or the like, the display control unit D1a expands the icon 603 to the region 604 on the left side of the left road cone RC. Then, the display control unit D1a notifies the controller 30 that the virtual wall has been extended to a predetermined position on the left side of the road cone RC on the setting screen 600, that is, on the front side of the road cone RC on the front side with respect to the upper revolving structure 3. Similarly, when an operation of stretching the right end portion of the icon 603 to the right is performed via the operation input unit D1c, specifically, an operation of dragging the right end portion of the icon 603 to the right is performed via a touch panel or the like, the display control unit D1a expands the icon 603 to the region 605 on the right side of the right road cone RC. Then, the display control unit D1a notifies the controller 30 that the virtual wall has been extended to a predetermined position on the right side of the right side road cone RC on the setting screen 600, that is, on the rear side of the rear side road cone RC with respect to the upper revolving structure 3. Thus, the controller 30 can expand the virtual wall to a space outside the two road cones in accordance with an operation of the operator or the like on the setting screen 600 via the operation input unit D1 c.

The setting of the avoidance target by the controller 30 may be automatically performed in accordance with the designation of the object such as the road cone RC on the setting screen 600, or may be performed when a predetermined operation is performed via the operation input unit D1c after the object is designated. The same setting may be performed using another type of object (a person, a utility pole, a construction machine, a fence, or the like) detected by the object detection device 70 instead of the road cone RC detected by the object detection device 70. For example, when the utility pole is detected by the object detection device 70, the utility pole may be set as an avoidance target or a virtual wall may be set as an avoidance target from a plurality of utility poles in the same manner. In the present example, the avoidance object is set, but the target object may be set by the same method. For example, when the dump truck is reflected (included) in the captured image of the imaging device 80, the dump truck may be set as a target object on which the earth is to be discharged by the shovel 100.

Specific example of setting content relating to construction area around excavator

Next, a specific example of construction of the shovel 100 based on the setting content related to the construction area around the shovel 100 will be described with reference to fig. 7 and 8 (fig. 8A and 8B).

Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of the setting contents related to the construction area around the shovel 100. Specifically, fig. 7 is a perspective view of the shovel 100 showing the setting contents related to the construction area around the shovel 100 set via the setting screen 600 of fig. 6, and more specifically, a view explaining the virtual wall VW set via the setting screen 600 of fig. 6. Fig. 8A and 8B are diagrams showing an example and another example of display contents of the display device D1 in the preview mode, respectively. Specifically, fig. 8A and 8B are diagrams showing an example and another example of a confirmation screen of the setting contents relating to the construction area around the shovel 100, and more specifically, an example and another example of a confirmation screen of the setting contents set via the setting screen 600 of fig. 6.

As shown in fig. 7, in this example, a virtual wall VW as an avoidance target in a construction area is provided on the left side of the shovel 100 (upper slewing body 3) so as to extend a predetermined distance in the vertical direction from a straight line connecting two road cones RC arranged in tandem. That is, on the setting screen 600 of fig. 6, the virtual wall VW as the avoidance target (section) in the construction area is provided so that the icon 603 is expanded to the area 604 and the area 605.

The operator can confirm the setting contents related to the construction area including the virtual wall VW through the confirmation screen displayed on the display device D1.

For example, as shown in fig. 8A, the surrounding image 800 is displayed in the display device D1. The display device D1 displays information images 801 to 810. The information images 801 to 810 display the same contents as the information images 501 to 510 in fig. 5, and are displayed so as to be superimposed on the surrounding image 800 at the upper end or the lower end of the display region (the image display unit D1 b). Then, the setting confirmation image 820 is displayed on the display device D1 so as to occupy substantially the left half of the center portion in the vertical direction of the display area, superimposed on the surrounding image 800. Thus, the contents of the setting confirmation image 820 and the information images 801 to 810 are displayed on the display device D1 so as to be recognizable by the operator.

In the setting confirmation image 820, the setting contents relating to the construction area around the excavator 100 including the virtual wall VW are displayed using the three-dimensional image. Specifically, in the setting confirmation image 820, the shovel 100, the construction area around the shovel 100, and the set virtual wall VW are displayed as a three-dimensional image when viewed from a virtual viewpoint located obliquely above the shovel 100 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "stereoscopic virtual viewpoint").

The setting confirmation image 820 includes an excavator image 821, a road cone image 822, a pole image 823, a fence image 824, and a virtual wall image 825.

The shovel image 821 is a three-dimensional image when the shovel 100 is viewed from a stereoscopic virtual viewpoint. The shovel image 821 may be a captured image of the shovel 100 viewed from a stereoscopic virtual viewpoint, or may be a computer image that simulates the shovel 100 viewed from a stereoscopic virtual viewpoint. Hereinafter, the same applies to the excavator image 871 described later.

The road cone image 822 is a three-dimensional image when the road cone RC (i.e., the road cone RC in fig. 6 and 7) provided around the shovel 100 is viewed from the stereoscopic virtual viewpoint.

The pole image 823 and the fence image 824 are three-dimensional images when the pole and the fence (that is, the pole and the fence in fig. 7) existing around the shovel 100 are viewed from a stereoscopic virtual viewpoint, respectively.

The three-dimensional image representing the construction area around the shovel 100, including the road cone image 822, the pole image 823, the fence image 824, and the like, may be generated as a viewpoint conversion image by performing known viewpoint conversion processing from the captured image of the imaging device 80, for example. The three-dimensional stereoscopic image showing the construction area around the shovel 100 may be, for example, a computer graphic generated from an image template of a detection target object prepared in advance using the detection result of the object detection device 70.

The virtual wall image 825 is a three-dimensional image when the virtual wall VW set with reference to the two road cones RC is viewed from the stereoscopic virtual viewpoint.

Further, for example, as shown in fig. 8B, a surrounding image 850 is displayed on the display device D1. The display device D1 displays information images 851 to 860. The information images 851 to 860 display the same contents as those of the information images 501 to 510 of fig. 5, and are displayed so as to be superimposed on the surrounding image 850 at the upper end or the lower end of the display region (the image display unit D1 b). Then, the setting confirmation images 870 and 880 are displayed on the peripheral image 850 on the display device D1 so as to occupy substantially the left half and substantially the right half of the center portion in the vertical direction of the display area. Thus, the contents of the setting confirmation images 870 and 880 and the information images 851 to 860 are displayed on the display device D1 so as to be recognizable by the operator.

In the setting confirmation images 870 and 880, the setting contents relating to the construction area around the excavator 100 including the virtual wall VW are displayed using the two-dimensional image. Specifically, in the setting confirmation image 700, the shovel 100, the construction area around the shovel 100, and the set virtual wall VW are displayed as a two-dimensional (planar) image when viewed from a virtual viewpoint directly above the shovel 100 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "top-view virtual viewpoint"). In the setting confirmation image 880, the construction area around the shovel 100 and the set virtual wall VW are displayed as a two-dimensional (planar) image when viewed from the shovel 100 in the horizontal direction.

The setting confirmation image 870 includes an excavator image 871, a road cone image 872, a utility pole image 873, a fence image 874, a virtual wall image 875, and distance notification images 876 to 879.

The shovel image 871 is an image when the shovel 100 is viewed from a top-view virtual viewpoint.

The road cone image 872 is an image (i.e., an overhead view image) when the road cone RC (i.e., the road cone RC in fig. 6 and 7) provided around the shovel 100 is viewed from an overhead view virtual viewpoint.

The pole image 873 and the fence image 874 are images (i.e., overhead images) of a pole and a fence (i.e., the pole and the fence of fig. 7) present around the shovel 100, respectively, as viewed from a virtual overhead viewpoint.

The overhead view image showing the construction area around the shovel 100, including the road cone image 872, the utility pole image 873, the fence image 874, and the like, can be generated as a viewpoint conversion image by performing a known viewpoint conversion process from the captured image of the imaging device 80, for example. The overhead view image showing the construction area around the shovel 100 may be, for example, a computer graphic generated from an image template of a detection target object prepared in advance using the detection result of the object detection device 70.

The virtual wall image 875 is an image when the virtual wall VW set with reference to the two road cones RC is viewed from the top virtual viewpoint (i.e., a top view image).

The distance notification images 876 to 879 each indicate a distance (for example, the shortest distance) between the shovel 100 and a surrounding detection target object or avoidance target (section). This enables the operator to more specifically grasp the distance relationship between the shovel 100 and the surrounding objects or the avoidance target (section), and to operate the shovel 100.

The distance notification image 876 represents the shortest distance between the terminating attachment (e.g., bucket 6) of the excavator 100 and the virtual wall VW. The distance notification image 876 includes a double-headed arrow (a size line) connecting portions corresponding to the shortest distance between the virtual wall image 875 and the portion corresponding to the end attachment of the shovel image 871, and character information ("o" m ") indicating the distance.

Distance notification image 877 indicates the shortest distance between upper revolving structure 3 of shovel 100 and virtual wall VW. The distance notification image 877 includes a double-headed arrow (a size line) connecting portions corresponding to the shortest distance between the virtual wall image 875 and the portion of the upper revolving structure 3 corresponding to the shovel image 871, and character information (". smallcircle." m ") indicating the distance.

The distance notification image 878 represents the shortest distance between the end attachment (e.g., bucket 6) of the excavator 100 and the fence. The distance notification image 878 includes a double-headed arrow (a size line) connecting portions corresponding to the shortest distance between the fence image 874 and the portion corresponding to the end attachment of the shovel image 871, and character information ("o" m ") indicating the distance.

Distance notification image 879 indicates the shortest distance between upper revolving structure 3 of excavator 100 and the utility pole. The distance notification image 879 includes a double-headed arrow (a size line) connecting portions corresponding to the shortest distance between the pole image 873 and a portion of the upper revolving structure 3 corresponding to the shovel image 871, and character information (". smallcircle." m ") indicating the distance.

The setting confirmation image 880 includes a road cone image 882, a virtual wall image 885, a center line image 886, and a height notification image 887.

The road cone image 882 is an image when the road cone RC (i.e., the road cone RC in fig. 6 and 7) provided around the shovel 100 is viewed horizontally from the shovel 100.

The virtual wall image 885 is an image when the virtual wall VW set with reference to the two road cones RC is viewed in the horizontal direction from the shovel 100. The virtual wall image 885 includes a virtual wall upper end image 885A representing an upper end of the virtual wall VW and a virtual wall lower end image 885B representing a lower end of the virtual wall VW.

The center line image 886 is an image when the center line 606 of the road is viewed in the horizontal direction from the shovel 100.

The image when the construction area around the shovel 100 is viewed in the horizontal direction from the shovel 100, including the road cone image 882, the centerline image 886, and the like, may be generated as a viewpoint conversion image by performing known viewpoint conversion processing from the captured image of the imaging device 80, for example. The image obtained when the construction area around the shovel 100 is viewed in the horizontal direction from the shovel 100 may be, for example, a computer graphic generated from an image template of an object to be detected prepared in advance using the detection result of the object detection device 70.

The height notification image 887 indicates the height of the set avoidance target section (virtual wall VW). The height notification image 887 includes a double-headed arrow (a size line) connecting the virtual wall upper end image 885A and the virtual wall lower end image 885B in the vertical direction (vertical direction), and character information indicating the distance ("tomm").

In this way, the operator can grasp the positional relationship between the shovel 100 and the virtual wall VW of the construction area provided around the shovel 100 by the setting confirmation image 820 and the setting confirmation images 870 and 880.

In the setting confirmation image 880, the shovel 100, the construction area around the shovel 100, and the set virtual wall VW may be displayed as a two-dimensional (planar) image when viewed from a virtual viewpoint on the side of the shovel 100. At this time, a shovel image indicating the shovel 100, a pole image and a fence image indicating a pole, a fence, and the like existing around the shovel 100, and the like may be displayed on the setting confirmation image 880. In the preview mode, only one of the setting confirmation image 870 and the setting confirmation image 880 may be displayed on the display device D1. In the preview mode, either one of the setting confirmation image 820 and the setting confirmation images 870 and 880 may be displayed on the display device D1. In the preview mode, the setting confirmation image may be displayed in a manner superimposed on an information image other than the surrounding image.

The controller 30 may output an alarm in a situation where the shovel 100 is about to contact the virtual wall VW so as not to contact the virtual wall VW that does not actually exist.

For example, when the distance between the virtual wall VW and the shovel 100 (the lower traveling structure 1, the upper revolving structure 3, the attachment AT, and the like) is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the controller 30 may output a control signal to the sound output device D2 to output an alarm sound. At this time, the controller 30 can determine the positional relationship between the excavator 100 itself and the virtual wall VW by specifying the position of the excavator in the coordinate system for setting based on the positioning result of the positioning device such as the GNSS device mounted on the upper revolving structure 3. Further, the controller 30 may output alarm sounds of different alarm levels in a plurality of stages as the distance between the virtual wall VW and the shovel 100 becomes closer. Further, the controller 30 may output an alarm based on the information image via the display device D1.

Further, the controller 30 may control (limit) the operation of the operation elements of the shovel 100 so as not to contact the virtual wall VW that does not actually exist, in other words, so as not to cross the virtual wall VW.

For example, when the upper slewing body 3 is slewing-operated to the left side from the state of the shovel 100 shown in fig. 7 via the slewing operation lever 26B, a part (for example, a counterweight) of the upper slewing body 3, an attachment AT, and the like may approach the virtual wall VW and cross the virtual wall VW. Therefore, for example, in a situation where the swing operation lever 26B is operated to swing the upper swing body 3, if the distance between the virtual wall VW and the upper swing body 3 or the attachment AT is smaller than the predetermined 1 st threshold value, the controller 30 may output a control signal to the pressure reducing valve 50L to restrict the swing operation of the upper swing body 3 and decelerate the same. The controller 30 may change the degree of restriction of the upper slewing body 3, and the degree of restriction may be higher as the distance between the virtual wall VW and the upper slewing body 3 or the attachment AT is shorter, which is similarly applied to the case of controlling (restricting) the operation of the boom 4 described later. When the distance between the attachment AT or the upper slewing body 3 and the virtual wall VW is smaller than a predetermined 2 nd threshold value smaller than the 1 st threshold value due to the proximity of the attachment AT or the upper slewing body 3 to the virtual wall VW in a situation where the slewing operation lever 26B is operated to cause the upper slewing body 3 to perform the slewing operation, the controller 30 may output a control signal to the pressure reducing valve 50L to reduce the control pressure output from the pressure reducing valve 50L to a level corresponding to the lever operation amount "zero", thereby stopping the slewing operation of the upper slewing body 3. Thus, controller 30 can control the operation of upper revolving unit 3 so that accessory AT or upper revolving unit 3 does not pass over virtual wall VW set as the avoidance target.

Further, for example, in a situation where the upper slewing body 3 is slewing a predetermined amount to the left from the state of the shovel 100 shown in fig. 7 and the virtual wall VW is present in front of the upper slewing body 3, if the boom 4 is operated via the boom operating lever 26A, there is a possibility that the attachment AT (e.g., the bucket 6) approaches the virtual wall VW. Therefore, for example, in a situation where the boom 4 is operated by operating the boom manipulating lever 26A, if the distance between the virtual wall VW and the attachment AT is smaller than the predetermined 1 st threshold value, the controller 30 may output a control signal to the pressure reducing valve 50R to restrict the operation of the boom 4. In a situation where the boom operation lever 26A is operated to operate the boom 4, and the distance between the attachment AT and the virtual wall VW is smaller than the 2 nd threshold smaller than the 1 st threshold because the attachment AT is moved closer to the virtual wall VW, the controller 30 may output a control signal to the pressure reducing valve 50R to reduce the control pressure output from the pressure reducing valve 50R to a level corresponding to the lever operation amount "zero" to stop the operation of the boom 4. Thus, controller 30 can control the operation of boom 4 so that upper revolving unit 3 does not cross virtual wall VW set as the avoidance target.

The 1 st threshold value related to the restriction of the swing operation of the upper swing body 3 and the 1 st threshold value related to the restriction of the operation of the boom 4 may be the same or different, and this applies to the 2 nd threshold value in the same manner. When the pressure reducing valve 50 for controlling (limiting) the operation of the lower traveling body 1, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 is provided, the controller 30 may output a control signal to the pressure reducing valve 50 to control (limit) the operation of the lower traveling body 1, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, thereby preventing the excavator 100 from crossing the virtual wall VW.

[ Another example of an excavator ]

Next, another example of the shovel 100 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to fig. 9 to 12 in addition to fig. 1.

Structure of excavator

First, the structure of the shovel 100 according to the present example will be described with reference to fig. 1, 9, and 10.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a configuration centered on the hydraulic system of the shovel 100 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 10 (fig. 10A to 10D) is a detailed view showing a component related to an operation system in the hydraulic system of the excavator 100 according to the present embodiment, and specifically, a detailed view showing a component related to an operation system in the hydraulic system of fig. 9.

In fig. 9, as in the case of fig. 2, the mechanical power transmission system, the hydraulic oil line, the pilot line, and the electric control system are indicated by a double line, a solid line, a broken line, and a dotted line, respectively. In the configuration centered on the control system of the shovel 100 according to the present example, the same applies except that the pressure reducing valve 50 in fig. 4 is replaced with a shuttle valve 32 described later, and therefore, illustration thereof is omitted.

As a configuration related to the hydraulic system, the shovel 100 according to the present example includes hydraulic actuators such as travel hydraulic motors 2ML and 2MR, a turning hydraulic motor 2A, a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, and a bucket cylinder 9 that hydraulically drive the lower traveling body 1, the upper revolving body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, respectively. As for the configuration related to the hydraulic system, the shovel 100 according to the present example includes the engine 11, the regulator 13, the main pump 14, the pilot pump 15, the control valve 17, the operation device 26, the discharge pressure sensor 28, and the operation pressure sensor 29, as in the case of the example of the shovel 100 described above.

The control valve 17 includes control valves 171 to 176 that control the flow rate and the flow direction of the hydraulic oil supplied from the main pump 14 to the respective hydraulic actuators. The control valve 171 corresponds to the traveling hydraulic motor 2 ML. The control valve 172 corresponds to the traveling hydraulic motor 2 MR. The control valve 173 corresponds to the swing hydraulic motor 2A, and the control valve 174 corresponds to the bucket cylinder 9. The control valve 175 corresponds to the boom cylinder 7, and includes control valves 175L and 175R. The control valve 176 corresponds to the arm cylinder 8, and includes control valves 176L and 176R.

The operation device 26 is connected to the control valve 17 via a shuttle valve 32, which will be described later, provided on a pilot line on the secondary side thereof. Thus, the pilot pressure corresponding to the operation state of the lower traveling structure 1, the upper revolving structure 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, and the like in the operation device 26 can be input to the control valve 17. Therefore, the control valve 17 can drive each hydraulic actuator in accordance with the operation state in the operation device 26. The operation device 26 includes an attachment AT, that is, a boom 4 (boom cylinder 7), an arm 5 (arm cylinder 8), a bucket 6 (bucket cylinder 9), and left and right operation levers 26L and 26R for operating the upper revolving structure 3. Further, operating device 26 includes a travel lever 26D for operating lower traveling body 1, and travel lever 26D includes a left travel lever 26DL for operating left crawler belt 1CL and a right travel lever 26DR for operating right crawler belt 1 CR.

Left operation lever 26L is used for the swing operation of upper swing body 3 and the operation of arm 5. Specifically, the operation of left control lever 26L in the front-rear direction is used for the operation of arm 5, and the operation of left control lever 26L in the left-right direction is used for the swing operation of upper swing body 3. That is, the component corresponding to the operation of the left control lever 26L in the front-rear direction corresponds to the arm control lever in the example of the excavator 100, and the component corresponding to the operation of the left control lever 26L in the left-right direction corresponds to the swing control lever 26B. When the left operating lever 26L is operated in the front-rear direction (i.e., the front-rear direction of the upper revolving structure 3) as viewed from the operator in the cab 10, the control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to the lever operation amount is output to the pilot conduit on the secondary side by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. When the operator in the cab 10 operates the left-right direction (i.e., the left-right direction of the upper revolving structure 3), the left operating lever 26L outputs a control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to the lever operation amount to the secondary side pilot conduit by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15.

The left operating lever 26L is provided with a switch NS at its tip. This allows the operator or the like to operate the left operating lever 26L while pressing the switch NS. The switch NS is, for example, a push switch, and a signal corresponding to the operation state thereof is input to the controller 30.

The switch NS may be provided on the right operating lever 26R, or may be provided at another position in the cab 10 (preferably, a position that is easily operated by a seated operator or the like).

The right operation lever 26R is used for the operation of the boom 4 and the operation of the bucket 6. Specifically, the operation of the right control lever 26R in the front-rear direction is used for the operation of the boom 4, and the operation of the right control lever 26R in the left-right direction is used for the operation of the bucket 6. That is, the component corresponding to the operation of the right control lever 26R in the front-rear direction corresponds to the boom control lever 26A in the example of the excavator 100, and the component corresponding to the operation of the right control lever 26R in the left-right direction corresponds to the bucket control lever. When the operator operates the right control lever 26R in the front-rear direction as viewed from the operator in the cab 10, the control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to the lever operation amount is output to the secondary side pilot conduit by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. When the right-left direction is operated, the right control lever 26R outputs a control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to the lever operation amount to the secondary side pilot conduit by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15.

As described above, the left travel lever 26DL is used for operating the left crawler belt 1CL, and may be configured to be interlocked with a left travel pedal, not shown. When the left travel lever 26DL is operated in the front-rear direction as viewed from the operator in the cab 10, the control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to the lever operation amount is output to the secondary side pilot conduit by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. The pilot lines on the secondary side corresponding to the operations of the left travel lever 26DL in the forward direction and the reverse direction are directly connected to the corresponding pilot ports of the control valve 171, respectively. That is, the operation content of the left travel lever 26DL is reflected on the spool position of the control valve 171 that drives the travel hydraulic motor 2 ML.

As described above, the right travel lever 26DR is used for operating the right crawler belt 1CR, and may be configured to be interlocked with a right travel pedal, not shown. When the operator in the cab 10 operates the right travel lever 26DR in the front-rear direction, the control pressure (pilot pressure) corresponding to the lever operation amount is output to the secondary side pilot line by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. The pilot lines on the secondary side corresponding to the operations of the right travel lever 26DR in the forward and backward directions are directly connected to the corresponding pilot ports of the control valve 172, respectively. That is, the operation content of the left travel lever 26DL is reflected on the spool position of the control valve 172 that drives the travel hydraulic motor 2 ML.

As described later, operation device 26 (left operation lever 26L, right operation lever 26R, left travel lever 26DL, and right travel lever 26DR) may be an electric type that outputs an electric signal, instead of a hydraulic pilot type that outputs pilot pressure (see fig. 13, for example). In this case, the control valves 171 to 176 in the control valve 17 may be electromagnetic solenoid type spool valves.

The operation pressure sensors 29 include operation pressure sensors 29LA, 29LB, 29RA, 29RB, 29DL, 29 DR.

The operation pressure sensor 29LA detects the operation content (for example, the operation direction and the operation amount) of the left operation lever 26L in the front-rear direction by the operator as the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the pilot conduit on the secondary side of the left operation lever 26L (hereinafter, referred to as "operation pressure").

The operation pressure sensor 29LB detects the operation content (for example, the operation direction and the operation amount) of the left operation lever 26L in the left-right direction by the operator as the operation pressure of the pilot conduit on the secondary side of the left operation lever 26L.

The operation pressure sensor 29RA detects the operation content (for example, the operation direction and the operation amount) of the right operation lever 26R in the front-rear direction by the operator as the operation pressure of the pilot conduit on the secondary side of the right operation lever 26R.

The operation pressure sensor 29RB detects the operation content (for example, the operation direction and the operation amount) of the right operation lever 26R in the left-right direction by the operator as the operation pressure of the pilot conduit on the secondary side of the right operation lever 26R.

Operation pressure sensor 29DL detects the content of the operation (for example, the operation direction and the operation amount) in the front-rear direction of left travel lever 26DL by the operator as the operation pressure of the pilot conduit on the secondary side of left travel lever 26 DL.

Operation pressure sensor 29DR detects the operation content (for example, the operation direction and the operation amount) of the operator on right travel lever 26DR in the front-rear direction as the operation pressure of the pilot conduit on the secondary side of right travel lever 26 DR.

The operation content of operation device 26 (left operation lever 26L, right operation lever 26R, left travel lever 26DL, and right travel lever 26DR) may be detected by a sensor other than operation pressure sensor 29 (for example, a potentiometer attached to right operation lever 26R, left travel lever 26DL, and right travel lever 26 DR).

As shown in fig. 9, in the hydraulic system of the excavator 100, the portion of the hydraulic system that drives the drive system of the hydraulic actuator circulates the hydraulic oil from the main pump 14 driven by the engine 11 to the hydraulic oil tank via the center bypass line 40 or the parallel line 42.

The center bypass line 40 includes center bypass lines 40L, 40R.

The center bypass line 40L reaches the hydraulic oil tank through the control valves 171, 173, 175L, and 176L disposed in the control valve 17 in order from the main pump 14L.

The center bypass line 40R reaches the hydraulic oil tank through control valves 172, 174, 175R, and 176R disposed in the control valve 17 in order from the main pump 14R.

The control valve 171 is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14L to the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML and discharges the hydraulic oil discharged from the traveling hydraulic motor 2ML to a hydraulic oil tank. That is, the control valve 171 corresponds to the control valve 151 of the excavator 100.

The control valve 172 is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14R to the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR and discharges the hydraulic oil discharged from the traveling hydraulic motor 2MR to a hydraulic oil tank. That is, the control valve 172 corresponds to the control valve 152 of the excavator 100.

The control valve 173 is a spool valve that supplies the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14L to the hydraulic swing motor 2A and discharges the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic swing motor 2A to a hydraulic oil tank. That is, the control valve 173 corresponds to the control valve 157 of the excavator 100.

The control valve 174 is a spool valve that supplies hydraulic oil discharged from the main pump 14R to the bucket cylinder 9 and discharges the hydraulic oil in the bucket cylinder 9 to a hydraulic oil tank. That is, the control valve 174 corresponds to the control valve 158 of the excavator 100.

The control valves 175L and 175R are spool valves that supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R to the boom cylinder 7 and discharge the hydraulic oil in the boom cylinder 7 to a hydraulic oil tank, respectively. That is, the control valves 175L and 175R correspond to the control valve 154 of the excavator 100.

The control valves 176L and 176R supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R to the arm cylinder 8, and discharge the hydraulic oil in the arm cylinder 8 to a spool of the hydraulic oil tank. That is, the control valves 176L and 176R correspond to the control valve 155 of the excavator 100.

The control valves 171, 172, 173, 174, 175L, 175R, 176L, and 176R adjust the flow rate of the hydraulic oil supplied to or discharged from the hydraulic actuator or switch the flow direction of the hydraulic oil in accordance with the pilot pressure acting on the pilot port.

The parallel line 42 includes parallel lines 42L, 42R.

Parallel line 42L supplies the hydraulic oil of main pump 14L to control valves 171, 173, 175L, and 176L in parallel with center bypass line 40L. Specifically, the parallel line 42L is branched from the center bypass line 40L on the upstream side of the control valve 171, and is configured to be able to supply the hydraulic oil of the main pump 14L in parallel with the control valves 171, 173, 175L, and 176R. Thus, when the flow of the hydraulic oil passing through the center bypass line 40L is restricted or blocked by any one of the control valves 171, 173, and 175L, the parallel line 42L can supply the hydraulic oil to the control valve further downstream.

Parallel line 42R supplies hydraulic oil of main pump 14R to control valves 172, 174, 175R, 176R in parallel with center bypass line 40R. Specifically, the parallel line 42R is branched from the center bypass line 40R on the upstream side of the control valve 172, and is configured to be able to supply the hydraulic oil of the main pump 14R in parallel with the control valves 172, 174, 175R, and 176R. When the flow of the hydraulic oil through the center bypass line 40R is restricted or blocked by any one of the control valves 172, 174, and 175R, the parallel line 42R can supply the hydraulic oil to the control valve further downstream.

The regulators 13L, 13R regulate the discharge rates of the main pumps 14L, 14R by adjusting the tilt angles of the swash plates of the main pumps 14L, 14R, respectively, under the control of the controller 30.

The discharge pressure sensor 28L detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14L, and a detection signal corresponding to the detected discharge pressure is input to the controller 30. The same applies to the discharge pressure sensor 28R. Thus, the controller 30 can control the regulators 13L, 13R in accordance with the discharge pressures of the main pumps 14L, 14R.

In the center bypass lines 40L and 40R, negative control restrictors (hereinafter, referred to as "negative control restrictors") 18L and 18R are provided between the respective control valves 176L and 176R located most downstream and the hydraulic oil tank. Thus, the flow of the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L, 14R is restricted by the negative control restrictors 18L, 18R. The negative control restrictors 18L and 18R generate control pressures (hereinafter, referred to as "negative control pressures") for controlling the regulators 13L and 13R.

The negative control pressure sensors 19L and 19R detect a negative control pressure, and a detection signal corresponding to the detected negative control pressure is input to the controller 30.

The controller 30 can control the regulators 13L, 13R based on the discharge pressures of the main pumps 14L, 14R detected by the discharge pressure sensors 28L, 28R, and can regulate the discharge rates of the main pumps 14L, 14R. For example, the controller 30 may control the regulator 13L in accordance with an increase in discharge pressure of the main pump 14L to adjust the swash plate tilt angle of the main pump 14L, thereby reducing the discharge amount. The same applies to the regulator 13R. Thus, the controller 30 can perform total horsepower control of the main pumps 14L, 14R such that suction horsepower of the main pumps 14L, 14R, which is expressed by the product of the discharge pressure and the discharge amount, does not exceed the output horsepower of the engine 11.

The controller 30 can control the regulators 13L, 13R based on the negative control pressures detected by the negative control pressure sensors 19L, 19R, thereby adjusting the discharge rates of the main pumps 14L, 14R. For example, the controller 30 decreases the discharge amounts of the main pumps 14L, 14R as the negative control pressure increases, and increases the discharge amounts of the main pumps 14L, 14R as the negative control pressure decreases.

Specifically, in a standby state (a state shown in fig. 9) in which none of the hydraulic actuators in the shovel 100 is operated, the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L, 14R reaches the negative control restrictors 18L, 18R through the center bypass lines 40L, 40R. The flow of the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L, 14R increases the negative control pressure generated upstream of the negative control throttles 18L, 18R. As a result, the controller 30 reduces the discharge rates of the main pumps 14L, 14R to the allowable minimum discharge rate, and suppresses the pressure loss (pumping loss) when the discharged hydraulic oil passes through the center bypass lines 40L, 40R.

On the other hand, when a certain hydraulic actuator is operated via the operation device 26, the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R flows into the hydraulic actuator to be operated via the control valve corresponding to the hydraulic actuator to be operated. The flow of the hydraulic oil discharged from the main pumps 14L, 14R decreases or disappears the amount of hydraulic oil reaching the negative control restrictions 18L, 18R, thereby reducing the negative control pressure generated upstream of the negative control restrictions 18L, 18R. As a result, the controller 30 can increase the discharge amounts of the main pumps 14L and 14R, and circulate sufficient hydraulic oil through the operation target hydraulic actuator, thereby reliably driving the operation target hydraulic actuator.

As shown in fig. 9 and 10, in the hydraulic system of the excavator 100, the hydraulic system portion related to the operation system includes the pilot pump 15, the operation device 26 (the left operation lever 26L, the right operation lever 26R, the left travel lever 26DL, and the right travel lever 26DR), the proportional valve 31, the shuttle valve 32, and the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33.

The proportional valve 31 is provided in a pilot line connecting the pilot pump 15 and the shuttle valve 32, and is configured to be capable of changing a flow path area (a cross-sectional area through which the hydraulic oil can flow). The proportional valve 31 operates in accordance with a control command input from the controller 30. Thus, even when the operator or the like does not operate the operation device 26 (specifically, the left and right operation levers 26L and 26R), the controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot ports of the corresponding control valves (specifically, the control valves 173 to 176) in the control valve 17 via the proportional valve 31 and the shuttle valve 32. Proportional valve 31 includes proportional valves 31AL, 31AR, 31BL, 31BR, 31CL, 31CR, 31DL, 31 DR.

The shuttle valve 32 has two intake ports and one discharge port, and outputs working oil having a higher pilot pressure among pilot pressures input to the two intake ports to the discharge port. One of the two inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32 is connected to the operating device 26 and the other is connected to the proportional valve 31. The discharge port of the shuttle valve 32 is connected to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve in the control valve 17 via a pilot line. Therefore, the shuttle valve 32 can cause the higher pilot pressure of the pilot pressure generated by the operation device 26 and the pilot pressure generated by the proportional valve 31 to act on the pilot port of the corresponding control valve. That is, the controller 30 outputs a pilot pressure higher than the secondary side pilot pressure output from the operation device 26 from the proportional valve 31, and thereby can control the corresponding control valve regardless of the operation device 26 by the operator, and control the operation of the lower traveling body 1, the upper slewing body 3, and the attachment AT. The shuttle valves 32 include shuttle valves 32AL, 32AR, 32BL, 32BR, 32CL, 32CR, 32DL, 32 DR.

The pressure reducing proportional valve 33 is provided in a pilot line connecting the operation device 26 and the shuttle valve 32, and is configured to be capable of changing a flow passage area thereof. The pressure reducing proportional valve 33 operates in accordance with a control command input from the controller 30. Thus, when the operator operates the operation device 26 (specifically, the left and right operation levers 26L and 26R), the controller 30 can forcibly reduce the pilot pressure output from the operation device 26. Therefore, even when the operation device 26 is operated, the controller 30 can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the hydraulic actuator corresponding to the operation of the operation device 26. Further, for example, even when the operation device 26 is operated, the controller 30 can reduce the pilot pressure output from the operation device 26 to be lower than the pilot pressure output from the proportional valve 31. Therefore, the controller 30 can reliably apply a desired pilot pressure to the pilot port of the control valve in the control valve 17 regardless of the operation content of the operation device 26 by controlling the proportional valve 31 and the pressure reducing proportional valve 33. The pressure-reducing proportional valve 33 includes pressure-reducing proportional valves 33AL, 33AR, 33BL, 33BR, 33CL, 33CR, 33DL, and 33 DR.

As shown in fig. 10A, left control lever 26L allows the operator to operate arm cylinder 8 corresponding to arm 5 so as to tilt in the front-rear direction. That is, when the left operation lever 26L is tilted in the front-rear direction, the operation of the arm 5 is set as the operation target. The left control lever 26L outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content in the front-rear direction to the secondary side by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15.

The two intake ports of the shuttle valve 32AL are connected to a secondary-side pilot line of the left control lever 26L and a secondary-side pilot line of the proportional valve 31AL, respectively, in response to an operation in the retracting direction of the arm 5 (hereinafter, referred to as "arm retracting operation"), and the discharge port is connected to a right-side pilot port of the control valve 176L and a left-side pilot port of the control valve 176R.

The two intake ports of the shuttle valve 32AR are connected to the secondary-side pilot line of the left control lever 26L and the secondary-side pilot line of the proportional valve 31AR, respectively, in response to an operation in the opening direction of the arm 5 (hereinafter, referred to as "arm opening operation"), and the discharge port is connected to the left-side pilot port of the control valve 176L and the right-side pilot port of the control valve 176R.

That is, the left control lever 26L causes the pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content in the front-rear direction to act on the pilot ports of the control valves 176L, 176R via the shuttle valves 32AL, 32 AR. Specifically, when the arm retracting operation is performed, the left control lever 26L outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32AL, and the pilot pressure is applied to the right pilot port of the control valve 176L and the left pilot port of the control valve 176R via the shuttle valve 32 AL. When the arm opening operation is performed, the left control lever 26L outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32AR, and the pilot pressure is applied to the left pilot port of the control valve 176L and the right pilot port of the control valve 176R via the shuttle valve 32 AR.

The proportional valve 31AL operates in accordance with a control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31AL outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to the other pilot port of the shuttle valve 32AL by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. Thus, the proportional valve 31AL can adjust the pilot pressures acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 176L and the left pilot port of the control valve 176R via the shuttle valve 32 AL.

The proportional valve 31AR operates in accordance with a control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31AR outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to the other pilot port of the shuttle valve 32AR by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. Thus, the proportional valve 31AR can adjust the pilot pressures acting on the left pilot port of the control valve 176L and the right pilot port of the control valve 176R via the shuttle valve 32 AR.

That is, the proportional valves 31AL and 31AR can adjust the pilot pressure output to the secondary side so that the control valves 176L and 176R can be stopped at any valve position regardless of the operation state of the left operation lever 26L.

The pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AL operates in accordance with the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when the control current is not input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AL directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the arm retracting operation of the left control lever 26L to the secondary side. On the other hand, when the control current is input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AL reduces the pilot pressure of the secondary-side pilot line corresponding to the arm retracting operation of the left control lever 26L to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32 AL. Thus, even when the arm retracting operation is performed by the left operation lever 26L, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AL can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the arm cylinder 8 corresponding to the arm retracting operation as needed. Even when the arm retracting operation is performed by the left operation lever 26L, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33AL can lower the pilot pressure acting on one intake port of the shuttle valve 32AL than the pilot pressure acting on the other intake port of the shuttle valve 32AL from the proportional valve 31 AL. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31AL and the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AL so that a desired pilot pressure can be reliably applied to the pilot ports on the arm retracting sides of the control valves 176L and 176R.

The pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AR operates in accordance with the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when the control current is not input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AR directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the arm opening operation of the left control lever 26L to the secondary side. On the other hand, when the control current is input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AR reduces the pilot pressure of the secondary-side pilot line corresponding to the boom opening operation of the left control lever 26L to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32 AR. Thus, even when the arm opening operation is performed by the left operation lever 26L, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the arm cylinder 8 corresponding to the arm opening operation as needed. Even when the arm opening operation is performed by the left operation lever 26L, the proportional valve for pressure reduction 33AR can make the pilot pressure acting on one intake port of the shuttle valve 32AR lower than the pilot pressure acting on the other intake port of the shuttle valve 32AR from the proportional valve 31 AR. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31AR and the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AR so that a desired pilot pressure can be reliably applied to the pilot ports on the boom-opening side of the control valves 176L and 176R.

In this way, the pressure-reducing proportional valves 33AL and 33AR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the arm cylinder 8 corresponding to the operation state of the left operation lever 26L in the front-rear direction. Further, the pressure-reducing proportional valves 33AL and 33AR can reduce the pilot pressure acting on the one intake port of the shuttle valves 32AL and 32AR, and the pilot pressure of the auxiliary proportional valves 31AL and 31AR can reliably act on the pilot ports of the control valves 176L and 176R via the shuttle valves 32AL and 32 AR.

Instead of controlling the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33AL, the controller 30 may forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the arm cylinder 8 corresponding to the arm retracting operation of the left control lever 26L by controlling the proportional valve 31 AR. For example, when the arm retracting operation is performed by the left control lever 26L, the controller 30 may control the proportional valve 31AR so that the pilot pressure is applied from the proportional valve 31AR to the pilot ports on the arm opening side of the control valves 176L and 176R via the shuttle valve 32 AR. Thus, the pilot pressure acts on the pilot ports on the arm opening side of the control valves 176L, 176R so as to cancel the pilot pressure acting on the pilot ports on the arm retracting side of the control valves 176L, 176R from the left operation lever 26L via the shuttle valve 32 AL. Therefore, the controller 30 can forcibly bring the control valves 176L and 176R close to the neutral position, and thereby suppress or stop the operation of the arm cylinder 8 corresponding to the arm retracting operation of the left control lever 26L. Similarly, the controller 30 may forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the arm cylinder 8 corresponding to the arm opening operation of the left control lever 26L by controlling the proportional valve 31AL instead of controlling the pressure reducing proportional valve 33 AR.

The operation pressure sensor 29LA detects the operation content of the left operation lever 26L in the front-rear direction by the operator in the form of pressure (operation pressure), and a detection signal corresponding to the detected pressure is input to the controller 30. Thus, the controller 30 can grasp the operation content in the front-rear direction with respect to the left operation lever 26L. The operation content in the front-rear direction of the detection target left operation lever 26L includes, for example, an operation direction, an operation amount (operation angle), and the like. Hereinafter, the same applies to the operation content in the left-right direction with respect to the left operation lever 26L and the operation content in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction with respect to the right operation lever 26R.

The controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the right pilot port of the control valve 176L and the left pilot port of the control valve 176R via the proportional valve 31AL and the shuttle valve 32AL regardless of the boom retracting operation of the left control lever 26L by the operator. The controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the left pilot port of the control valve 176L and the right pilot port of the control valve 176R via the proportional valve 31AR and the shuttle valve 32AR regardless of the boom opening operation of the left control lever 26L by the operator. That is, the controller 30 can automatically control the opening/retracting action of the arm 5.

Then, for example, as shown in fig. 10B, the left operating lever 26L allows the operator to operate the turning hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the upper turning body 3 (turning mechanism 2) so as to tilt in the left-right direction. That is, when the vehicle is tilted in the left-right direction, left operation lever 26L is operated by the turning operation of upper turning body 3. The left control lever 26L outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content in the left-right direction to the secondary side by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15.

The two intake ports of the shuttle valve 32BL are connected to the secondary side pilot line of the left control lever 26L and the secondary side pilot line of the proportional valve 31BL, respectively, corresponding to the left slewing operation (hereinafter referred to as "left slewing operation") of the upper slewing body 3, and the discharge port is connected to the left pilot port of the control valve 173.

The two intake ports of the shuttle valve 32BR are connected to the secondary side pilot line of the left control lever 26L and the secondary side pilot line of the proportional valve 31BR, respectively, corresponding to a turning operation on the right side of the upper turning body 3 (hereinafter referred to as "right turning operation"), and the discharge port is connected to the right side pilot port of the control valve 173.

That is, the left operation lever 26L causes a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content in the left-right direction to act on the pilot port of the control valve 173 via the shuttle valves 32BL, 32 BR. Specifically, when the left swing operation is performed, the left operation lever 26L outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32BL, and the pilot pressure is applied to the left pilot port of the control valve 173 via the shuttle valve 32 BL. When the right swing operation is performed, the left control lever 26L outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32BR, and the pilot pressure is applied to the right pilot port of the control valve 173 via the shuttle valve 32 BR.

The proportional valve 31BL operates in accordance with a control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31BL outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to the other pilot port of the shuttle valve 32BL by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. Thus, the proportional valve 31BL can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the left pilot port of the control valve 173 via the shuttle valve 32 BL.

The proportional valve 31BR operates in accordance with the control current output from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31BR outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to the other pilot port of the shuttle valve 32BR by the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. Accordingly, the proportional valve 31BR can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 173 via the shuttle valve 32 BR.

That is, the proportional valves 31BL, 31BR can adjust the pilot pressure output to the secondary side so that the control valve 173 can be stopped at any valve position regardless of the operation state of the left operation lever 26L.

The pressure-reducing proportional valve 33BL operates in accordance with the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when the control current is not input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33BL directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the left turning operation of the left control lever 26L to the secondary side. On the other hand, when the control current is input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33BL reduces the pilot pressure of the secondary-side pilot line corresponding to the left swing operation of the left control lever 26L to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32 BL. Thus, even when the left swing operation is performed by the left operating lever 26L, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33BL can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the swing hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the left swing operation as needed. Even when the left operation lever 26L is operated to rotate left, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33BL can lower the pilot pressure applied to one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32BL than the pilot pressure applied from the proportional valve 31BL to the other inlet port of the shuttle valve 32 BL. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31BL and the pressure reducing proportional valve 33BL to reliably apply a desired pilot pressure to the left-turn-side pilot port of the control valve 173.

The pressure-reducing proportional valve 33BR operates in accordance with a control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when the control current is not input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33BR directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the right swing operation of the left control lever 26L to the secondary side. On the other hand, when the control current is input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33BR reduces the pilot pressure of the secondary-side pilot line corresponding to the right swing operation of the left control lever 26L to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32 BR. Thus, even when the right swing operation is performed by the left operation lever 26L, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33BR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the swing hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the right swing operation as needed. Even when the left operating lever 26L is operated to rotate right, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33BR can lower the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32BR than the pilot pressure acting on the other inlet port of the shuttle valve 32BR from the proportional valve 31 BR. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31BR and the pressure reducing proportional valve 33BR to reliably apply a desired pilot pressure to the right-turn-side pilot port of the control valve 173.

In this way, the pressure reducing proportional valves 33BL, 33BR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the swing hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the operation state of the left operation lever 26L in the left-right direction. Further, the pressure reducing proportional valves 33BL, 33BR can reduce the pilot pressure acting on the one intake port of the shuttle valves 32BL, 32BR, and the pilot pressure of the auxiliary proportional valves 31BL, 31BR can reliably act on the pilot port of the control valve 173 via the shuttle valves 32BL, 32 BR.

Instead of controlling the pressure reducing proportional valve 33BL, the controller 30 may forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the turning hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the left turning operation of the left control lever 26L by controlling the proportional valve 31 BR. For example, when the left swing operation is performed by the left control lever 26L, the controller 30 may control the proportional valve 31BR to apply the pilot pressure from the proportional valve 31BR to the pilot port on the right swing side of the control valve 173 via the shuttle valve 32 BR. Thus, the pilot pressure acts on the right rotation side pilot port of the control valve 173 so as to cancel the pilot pressure acting on the left rotation side pilot port of the control valve 173 from the left operation lever 26L via the shuttle valve 32 BL. Therefore, the controller 30 can forcibly bring the control valve 173 close to the neutral position, and thereby suppress or stop the operation of the swing hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the left swing operation of the left operation lever 26L. Similarly, the controller 30 may forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the swing hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the right swing operation of the left control lever 26L by controlling the proportional valve 31BL instead of controlling the pressure reducing proportional valve 33 BR.

The operation pressure sensor 29LB detects the operation state of the left operation lever 26L by the operator as a pressure, and a detection signal corresponding to the detected pressure is input to the controller 30. Thus, the controller 30 can grasp the operation content in the left-right direction with respect to the left operation lever 26L.

The controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the left pilot port of the control valve 173 via the proportional valve 31BL and the shuttle valve 32BL regardless of the left rotation operation of the left control lever 26L by the operator. The controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the right pilot port of the control valve 173 via the proportional valve 31BR and the shuttle valve 32BR regardless of the right turning operation of the left control lever 26L by the operator. That is, the controller 30 can automatically control the swing operation of the upper swing body 3 in the left-right direction.

Then, for example, as shown in fig. 10C, the operator operates the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom 4 to tilt in the front-rear direction by the right operation lever 26R. That is, when the boom 4 is tilted forward or backward, the right control lever 26R is operated by the movement of the boom 4. The right control lever 26R outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content in the front-rear direction to the secondary side by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15.

The two intake ports of the shuttle valve 32CL are connected to a secondary side pilot line of the right control lever 26R and a secondary side pilot line of the proportional valve 31CL, respectively, in response to an operation in the lifting direction of the boom 4 (hereinafter, referred to as a "boom lifting operation"), and the discharge port is connected to a right side pilot port of the control valve 175L and a left side pilot port of the control valve 175R.

Two intake ports of the shuttle valve 32CR are connected to a pilot line on the secondary side of the right control lever 26R and a pilot line on the secondary side of the proportional valve 31CR, respectively, in accordance with an operation in the boom 4 lowering direction (hereinafter, referred to as a "boom lowering operation"), and a discharge port is connected to a pilot port on the right side of the control valve 175R.

That is, the right control lever 26R causes the pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content in the front-rear direction to act on the pilot ports of the control valves 175L and 175R via the shuttle valves 32CL and 32 CR. Specifically, when the boom raising operation is performed, the right control lever 26R outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32CL, and the pilot pressure is applied to the right pilot port of the control valve 175L and the left pilot port of the control valve 175R via the shuttle valve 32 CL. When the boom lowering operation is performed, the right control lever 26R outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32CR, and the pilot pressure is applied to the right pilot port of the control valve 175R via the shuttle valve 32 CR.

The proportional valve 31CL operates in accordance with the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31CL outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to the other intake port of the shuttle valve 32CL by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. Thus, the proportional valve 31CL can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 175L and the left pilot port of the control valve 175R via the shuttle valve 32 CL.

The proportional valve 31CR operates in accordance with a control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31CR outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to the other intake port of the shuttle valve 32CR by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. Thus, the proportional valve 31CR can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 175R via the shuttle valve 32 CR.

That is, the proportional valves 31CL and 31CR can adjust the pilot pressure output to the secondary side so that the control valves 175L and 175R can be stopped at any valve position regardless of the operation state of the right control lever 26R.

The pressure-reducing proportional valve 33CL operates in accordance with the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when the control current from the controller 30 is not input, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33CL directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the boom raising operation of the right control lever 26R to the secondary side. On the other hand, when the control current is input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33CL reduces the pilot pressure of the secondary-side pilot line corresponding to the boom-up operation of the right control lever 26R to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32 CL. Thus, even when the boom raising operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the proportional pressure reducing valve 33CL can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom raising operation as needed. Even when the boom raising operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33CL can lower the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32CL than the pilot pressure acting on the other inlet port of the shuttle valve 32CL from the proportional valve 31 CL. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31CL and the pressure reducing proportional valve 33CL to reliably apply a desired pilot pressure to the pilot ports on the boom raising side of the control valves 175L and 175R.

The pressure-reducing proportional valve 33CR operates in accordance with the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when the control current from the controller 30 is not input, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33CR directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the boom lowering operation of the right control lever 26R to the secondary side. On the other hand, when the control current is input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33CR reduces the pilot pressure of the secondary-side pilot line corresponding to the boom lowering operation of the right control lever 26R to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32 CR. Thus, even when the boom lowering operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33CR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom lowering operation as necessary. Even when the boom lowering operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33CR can lower the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the shuttle valve 32CR than the pilot pressure acting on the other inlet port of the shuttle valve 32CR from the proportional valve 31 CR. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31CR and the pressure reducing proportional valve 33CR so that a desired pilot pressure can be reliably applied to the pilot ports on the boom lowering side of the control valves 175L and 175R.

In this way, the pressure reducing proportional valves 33CL and 33CR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the operation state of the right control lever 26R in the front-rear direction. The pressure reducing proportional valves 33CL and 33CR can reduce the pilot pressure acting on the one inlet port of the shuttle valves 32CL and 32CR, and the pilot pressure of the auxiliary proportional valves 31CL and 31CR reliably acts on the pilot ports of the control valves 175L and 175R via the shuttle valves 32CL and 32 CR.

Instead of controlling the pressure reducing proportional valve 33CL, the controller 30 may forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom raising operation of the right control lever 26R by controlling the proportional valve 31 CR. For example, when the boom raising operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the controller 30 may control the proportional valve 31CR so that the pilot pressure is applied from the proportional valve 31CR to the pilot ports on the boom lowering side of the control valves 175L and 175R via the shuttle valve 32 CR. Thus, the pilot pressure acts on the pilot ports on the boom-raising side of the control valves 175L, 175R in such a manner as to cancel the pilot pressure acting on the pilot ports on the boom-raising side of the control valves 175L, 175R from the right control lever 26R via the shuttle valve 32 CL. Therefore, the controller 30 can forcibly bring the control valves 175L and 175R close to the neutral position, and suppress or stop the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom raising operation of the right control lever 26R. Similarly, the controller 30 may forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom lowering operation of the right control lever 26R by controlling the proportional valve 31CL instead of controlling the pressure reducing proportional valve 33 CR.

The operation pressure sensor 29RA detects the operation content of the right operation lever 26R in the front-rear direction by the operator as pressure (operation pressure), and a detection signal corresponding to the detected pressure is input to the controller 30. Thus, the controller 30 can grasp the operation content in the front-rear direction with respect to the right operation lever 26R.

The controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the right pilot port of the control valve 175L and the left pilot port of the control valve 175R via the proportional valve 31CL and the shuttle valve 32CL regardless of the boom raising operation of the right control lever 26R by the operator. The controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the right pilot port of the control valve 175R via the proportional valve 31CR and the shuttle valve 32CR regardless of the boom lowering operation of the right control lever 26R by the operator. That is, the controller 30 can automatically control the operation of raising/lowering the boom 4.

As shown in fig. 10D, the right control lever 26R allows the operator to operate the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket 6 so as to tilt in the left-right direction. That is, when the vehicle is tilted in the left-right direction, the right control lever 26R is operated by the movement of the bucket 6. The right control lever 26R outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content in the left-right direction to the secondary side by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15.

The two intake ports of the shuttle valve 32DL are connected to the secondary side pilot line of the right control lever 26R and the secondary side pilot line of the proportional valve 31DL, respectively, in accordance with an operation in the retracting direction of the bucket 6 (hereinafter, referred to as "bucket retracting operation"), and the discharge port is connected to the left side pilot port of the control valve 174.

The two intake ports of the shuttle valve 32DR are connected to the secondary side pilot line of the right control lever 26R and the secondary side pilot line of the proportional valve 31DR, respectively, in response to an operation in the opening direction of the bucket 6 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket opening operation"), and the discharge port is connected to the right side pilot port of the control valve 174.

That is, the right control lever 26R causes the pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content in the left-right direction to act on the pilot port of the control valve 174 via the shuttle valves 32DL and 32 DR. Specifically, when the bucket retracting operation is performed, the right control lever 26R outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32DL, and the pilot pressure is applied to the left pilot port of the control valve 174 via the shuttle valve 32 DL. When the bucket opening operation is performed, the right control lever 26R outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32DR, and the pilot pressure is applied to the right pilot port of the control valve 174 via the shuttle valve 32 DR.

The proportional valve 31DL operates in accordance with a control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31DL outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to the other pilot port of the shuttle valve 32DL by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. Accordingly, the proportional valve 31DL can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the left pilot port of the control valve 174 via the shuttle valve 32 DL.

The proportional valve 31DR operates in accordance with the control current output from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31DR outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to the other pilot port of the shuttle valve 32DR by the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15. Thus, the proportional valve 31DR can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 174 via the shuttle valve 32 DR.

That is, the proportional valves 31DL and 31DR can adjust the pilot pressure output to the secondary side so that the control valve 174 can be stopped at any valve position regardless of the operation state of the right control lever 26R.

The pressure-reducing proportional valve 33DL operates in accordance with a control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when the control current is not input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33DL directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the bucket retracting operation of the right control lever 26R to the secondary side. On the other hand, when the control current is input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33DL reduces the pilot pressure of the secondary-side pilot line corresponding to the bucket retracting operation of the right control lever 26R to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32 DL. Thus, even when the bucket retracting operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33DL can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket retracting operation as needed. Even when the bucket retracting operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33DL can make the pilot pressure acting on one intake port of the shuttle valve 32DL lower than the pilot pressure acting on the other intake port of the shuttle valve 32DL from the proportional valve 31 DL. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31DL and the pressure reducing proportional valve 33DL to reliably apply a desired pilot pressure to the pilot port on the bucket retraction side of the control valve 174.

The pressure reducing proportional valve 33DR operates in accordance with a control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when the control current is not input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33DR directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the bucket opening operation of the right control lever 26R to the secondary side. On the other hand, when the control current is input from the controller 30, the pressure-reducing proportional valve 33DR reduces the pilot pressure of the secondary-side pilot line corresponding to the bucket opening operation of the right control lever 26R to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the intake ports of the shuttle valve 32 DR. Thus, even when the bucket opening operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the pressure reducing proportional valve 33DR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket opening operation as needed. Even when the bucket opening operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the proportional valve for pressure reduction 33DR can make the pilot pressure acting on one intake port of the shuttle valve 32DR lower than the pilot pressure acting on the other intake port of the shuttle valve 32DR from the proportional valve 31 DR. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31DR and the pressure reducing proportional valve 33DR so that a desired pilot pressure can be reliably applied to the pilot port on the bucket opening side of the control valve 174.

In this way, the pressure reducing proportional valves 33DL and 33DR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the operation state of the right control lever 26R in the left-right direction. Further, the pressure reducing proportional valves 33DL and 33DR can reduce the pilot pressure acting on the one intake port of the shuttle valves 32DL and 32DR, and the pilot pressure of the auxiliary proportional valves 31DL and 31DR can be reliably applied to the pilot port of the control valve 174 via the shuttle valves 32DL and 32 DR.

Instead of controlling the pressure reducing proportional valve 33DL, the controller 30 may forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket retracting operation of the right control lever 26R by controlling the proportional valve 31 DR. For example, when the bucket retracting operation is performed by the right control lever 26R, the controller 30 may control the proportional valve 31DR so that the pilot pressure is applied from the proportional valve 31DR to the pilot port on the bucket opening side of the control valve 174 via the shuttle valve 32 DR. Thus, the pilot pressure acts on the pilot port on the bucket opening side of the control valve 174 so as to cancel the pilot pressure acting on the pilot port on the bucket retracting side of the control valve 174 from the right control lever 26R via the shuttle valve 32 DL. Therefore, the controller 30 can forcibly bring the control valve 174 close to the neutral position, and suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket retracting operation of the right control lever 26R. Similarly, the controller 30 may forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket opening operation of the right control lever 26R by controlling the proportional valve 31DL instead of controlling the pressure reducing proportional valve 33 DR.

The operation pressure sensor 29RB detects the operation content of the right-left direction of the right operation lever 26R by the operator as pressure (operation pressure), and a detection signal corresponding to the detected pressure is input to the controller 30. Thereby, the controller 30 can grasp the operation content in the left-right direction of the right operation lever 26R.

The controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the left pilot port of the control valve 174 via the proportional valve 31DL and the shuttle valve 32DL regardless of the bucket retracting operation of the operator on the right control lever 26R. The controller 30 can supply the hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the right pilot port of the control valve 174 via the proportional valve 31DR and the shuttle valve 32DR regardless of the bucket opening operation of the right control lever 26R by the operator. That is, the controller 30 can automatically control the opening/retracting action of the bucket 6.

Similarly to the boom 4, the arm 5, the bucket 6, and the upper revolving structure 3, the lower traveling structure 1 may be configured to be automatically controlled by the controller 30. In this case, for example, a shuttle valve 32 may be provided in a secondary side pilot line between each of the left and right travel levers 26DL and 26DR and the control valves 171 and 172, and a proportional valve 31 connected to the shuttle valve 32 and controllable by the controller 30 may be provided. Thus, the controller 30 can automatically control the traveling operation of the lower traveling body 1 by outputting a control current to the proportional valve 31.

As the configuration related to the control system, the shovel 100 according to the present example mainly includes the controller 30, the ECU74, the boom angle sensor S1, the arm angle sensor S2, the bucket angle sensor S3, the body inclination sensor S4, the turning state sensor S5, the boom cylinder pressure sensor 7a, the object detection device 70, the image pickup device 80, the display device D1, and the audio output device D2, as in the case of the example of the shovel 100 described above.

The controller 30 performs control of the shovel 100 in relation to an equipment guiding function that guides (guides) manual operation of the shovel 100 by an operator.

The controller 30 notifies the operator of construction information such as a distance between the target construction surface and the front end portion of the attachment AT (for example, the cutting edge of the bucket 6, the back surface of the bucket 6, and the like) via the display device D1, the sound output device D2, and the like, for example. Specifically, the controller 30 acquires information from the boom angle sensor S1, the arm angle sensor S2, the bucket angle sensor S3, the body tilt sensor S4, the turning state sensor S5, the object detection device 70, the imaging device 80, the positioning device, and the like. Then, the controller 30 may calculate the distance between the bucket 6 and the target construction surface based on the acquired information, for example, and notify the operator of the calculated distance using an image displayed on the display device D1 or a sound output from the sound output device D2. Thus, the controller 30 can notify the construction information to the operator via the display device D1, the audio output device D2, and the like, and guide the operation of the excavator 100 by the operator via the operation device 26. The data relating to the target construction surface are expressed, for example, by a prescribed reference coordinate system, for example, the world geodetic system. The world geodesic system is a three-dimensional orthogonal XYZ coordinate system in which the center of gravity of the earth is the origin, the direction of the intersection of the greenwich meridian and the equator is the X axis, the direction of the east longitude 90 degrees is the Y axis, and the direction of the north pole is the Z axis.

The controller 30 executes control of the shovel 100 related to an equipment control function that supports manual operation of the shovel 100 by an operator or automatically or autonomously operates the shovel 100, for example. For example, in a state where the switch NS is pressed, the device control function is effective. That is, the operator or the like can operate the operation device 26 in a state where the switch NS is pressed, and cause the excavator 100 to perform construction using the equipment control function. Further, for example, the equipment control function may be activated when the distance between the target construction surface and a predetermined portion of the attachment AT to be controlled (for example, the cutting edge of the bucket 6, hereinafter referred to as a "control target portion") is relatively close to each other, that is, when the distance is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

For example, when the operator manually performs an excavation operation, a leveling operation, or the like of the ground in a state where the equipment control function is effective, the controller 30 calculates a target trajectory of the cutting edge of the bucket 6 so that the cutting edge of the bucket 6 does not cross the target construction surface. Then, the controller 30 may control the proportional valve 31 to autonomously operate the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 so that the bucket 6 moves along the calculated target trajectory. Accordingly, the operator or the like can easily cause the excavator 100 to perform excavation, leveling, or the like so that the cutting edge or the like of the bucket 6 does not cross the target construction surface regardless of the degree of skill of the operation.

Further, for example, when the operator operates the left operation lever 26L in the front-rear direction with the equipment control function enabled, the controller 30 calculates the target trajectory of the cutting edge of the bucket 6 so that the cutting edge of the bucket 6 is flush with the target construction surface. Then, the controller 30 may control the proportional valve 31 to autonomously operate at least one of the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 so that the bucket 6 moves along the calculated target trajectory. Thus, the operator can cause the excavator 100 to perform excavation work, leveling work, and the like for realizing the target construction surface only by operating the left operating lever 26L in the front-rear direction.

For example, when a combined operation of a boom raising operation and a swing operation (hereinafter referred to as a "boom raising and swing operation") is performed in a state where the equipment control function is effective via the operation device 26, the controller 30 calculates a target trajectory of a control target portion such as a cutting edge of the bucket 6 for moving the bucket 6 to a position above a preset target position for discharging soil (hereinafter referred to as a "target position for discharging soil"). Then, the controller 30 may control the proportional valve 31 to autonomously operate at least one of the upper slewing body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 so as to move the cutting edge of the bucket 6 and the like along the target track. This allows the operator or the like to easily move the bucket 6 to a position above a predetermined position (target position) regardless of the degree of skill of the operator or the like to discharge the earth and sand contained in the bucket 6.

Further, for example, the controller 30 may implement the boom raising/turning operation of the shovel 100 semi-automatically, that is, only by any one of the boom raising operation of the right control lever 26R and the turning operation of the left control lever 26L, in a state where the equipment control function is effective. At this time, the controller 30 may control the proportional valve 31 to autonomously operate at least one of the upper slewing body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 so that the cutting edge of the bucket 6 moves along a target trajectory calculated to direct the cutting edge to a position above a preset discharging target position in accordance with either the boom raising operation of the right control lever 26R or the swing operation of the left control lever 26L. Accordingly, the operator or the like can cause the excavator 100 to perform the boom raising/turning operation only by performing either one of the boom raising operation of the right control lever 26R and the turning operation of the left control lever 26L, and can discharge the earth and sand or the like accommodated in the bucket 6 at a predetermined position.

Method for setting up a construction area around a shovel

Next, a method of setting the construction area around the shovel 100 by the controller 30 will be described with reference to fig. 11.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing another example of the display content of the display device D1 in the setting mode. Specifically, fig. 11 is a diagram showing another example of a setting screen (setting screen 1100) related to a construction area around the shovel 100. In the present example, the setting screen 1100 is an operation screen for setting a target object (specifically, a target construction surface or a target position for discharging soil) in a construction area as a specific example of setting related to the construction area in response to an operation of the operation input unit D1c by an operator or the like. Then, the controller 30 sets the target object in accordance with the operation on the setting screen 1100.

As in the case of the example of the shovel 100 (fig. 6), the display device D1 displays the setting screen 1100 on the image display unit D1b under the control of the display control unit D1 a. Specifically, an overhead image (hereinafter simply referred to as an "overhead image") viewed from directly above the shovel 100 (an example of an image showing a construction area) generated by combining the captured images of the front camera 80F, the rear camera 80B, the left camera 80L, and the right camera 80R by a known viewpoint conversion process is displayed on the setting screen 1100. An image CG showing the shovel 100 (hereinafter referred to as "shovel image") is arranged at the center of the overhead image. In this example, the shovel 100 is arranged so that the attachment AT faces the dug groove GR in order to dig a straight groove. A sheet pile SP is provided on a wall surface of a trench GR dug in front of the shovel 100 (the upper slewing body 3). Further, a road cone RC is arranged on the left side of the dug groove GR and the dug groove portion along the direction in which the dug groove GR and the dug groove portion extend.

As in the case of the example of the shovel 100 (fig. 6), the display controller D1a causes the image display unit D1b to display the overhead image (the setting screen 1100) while associating the coordinates predetermined in advance for the construction area with the respective pixels (an example of the image forming portion) of the overhead image with the setting coordinate system. Thus, for example, the operator or the like can specify a certain pixel of the overhead image of the setting screen 1100 via the operation input unit D1c (e.g., touch panel) and specify a part of the construction area corresponding to the coordinate associated with the pixel, that is, a part of the construction area reflected on the pixel.

Similarly to the case of the example of the shovel 100 (fig. 6), the display control unit D1a causes the image display unit D1b to display the overhead image in a state where the coordinates of the object (object) detected in the construction area by the object detection device 70 with reference to the setting coordinate system are associated with the pixels corresponding to the object in the overhead image (for example, the pixels of the image portion including the object) (the setting screen 600). Thus, for example, the operator or the like can specify the object located at the coordinates corresponding to the specified pixels by specifying the pixels of the image portion on which the object is reflected (included) in the overhead image of the setting screen 1100 via the operation input unit D1 c.

In this example, as described above, the excavated groove GR in front of the shovel 100 (the upper slewing body 3) and the three sheet piles SP (examples of objects) provided on the left and right wall surfaces of the groove GR are reflected (included) in the overhead image constituting the setting screen 1100. Therefore, the operator or the like can designate the sheet pile SP as a reference of a target construction surface (corresponding to the wall surface of the groove GR in this example) by designating the pixel including the image portion of the sheet pile SP via the operation input unit D1 c.

Specifically, when a pixel of an image portion including the sheet pile SP on the left side of the setting screen 1100 is specified, the display control unit D1a causes the setting screen 1100 to display an icon 1101 surrounding a pixel group including the sheet pile SP. Then, the display control unit D1a notifies the sheet pile SP that specifies the left wall surface of the excavated groove GR. Thus, the controller 30 can set the sheet pile SP on the left wall surface of the trench GR that has been dug to be a target of the target construction surface (the left wall surface of the trench GR to be dug). Then, the controller 30 sets a target construction surface in such a manner that the back surface of the sheet pile SP extends in the front-rear direction. At this time, the display control unit D1a displays an icon 1102 indicating that the target construction surface is set along the extending direction of the three specified left sheet piles SP on the setting screen 1100.

In the present example, three sheet piles SP on the left wall surface of the excavated trench GR are designated by the operation of the operation input unit D1c, but two or one sheet pile SP may be designated. Hereinafter, the same applies to the case of specifying the sheet pile SP on the right wall surface of the excavated groove GR.

Similarly, when a pixel including an image portion of the sheet pile SP on the right side of the setting screen 1100 is designated, the display control unit D1a causes an icon 1103 surrounding the pixel group including the sheet pile SP to be displayed on the setting screen 1100. Then, the display control unit D1a notifies the sheet pile SP that specifies the wall surface on the right side of the excavated groove GR. Thus, the controller 30 can set the sheet pile SP on the right wall surface of the trench GR dug as a target to be a reference of the target construction surface (the right wall surface of the trench GR to be dug). Then, the controller 30 sets a target construction surface in such a manner that the back surface of the sheet pile SP extends in the front-rear direction. At this time, the display control unit D1a displays an icon 1104 indicating that the target construction surface is set along the extending direction of the three specified right sheet piles SP on the setting screen 1100.

The setting of the target construction surface by the controller 30 may be automatically performed in accordance with the designation of the sheet pile SP on the setting screen 1100, or may be performed when a predetermined operation is performed via the operation input unit D1c after the sheet pile SP is designated. Hereinafter, the same applies to setting of the discharge target position described later.

In the present example, the operator or the like designates the ground surface portion adjacent to the right side of the shovel image CG in the overhead image of the setting screen 1100 via the operation input unit D1c, and the display control unit D1a causes the icon 1105 indicating the designation to be displayed on the ground surface portion. Then, the display control unit D1a notifies the controller 30 that the right ground portion of the shovel 100 is designated. Thus, the controller 30 can set the ground portion on the right side of the shovel 100 as the soil discharge target position during the excavation work of the shovel 100.

Specific example of setting content relating to construction area around excavator

Next, a specific example of construction of the shovel 100 based on the setting content related to the construction area around the shovel 100 will be described with reference to fig. 12.

Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining another example of the setting contents related to the construction area around the shovel 100. Specifically, fig. 12 is a perspective view of the shovel 100 showing the setting contents related to the construction area around the shovel 100 set via the setting screen 1100 of fig. 11, and more specifically, illustrates the target construction surfaces VW11, VW12 and the discharging target position PT set via the setting screen 1100 of fig. 11. In the following, in the present example, the description is given on the premise that the device boot function and the device control function are effective.

As shown in fig. 12, in this example, a trench GR is dug in front of the shovel 100, and sheet piles SP (sheet piles SP11 on the + Y-side wall surface and sheet piles SP12 on the-Y-side wall surface in the figure) are provided on the left and right (on the + Y-side and-Y-side in the figure) wall surfaces of the trench GR. Further, a virtual wall VW (a target construction surface VW11 corresponding to the + Y side wall surface and a target construction surface VW12 corresponding to the-Y side wall surface in the drawing) corresponding to the wall surface of the groove GR for extending the back surface of the sheet pile SP of each of the left and right wall surfaces to the rear side (the-X side in the drawing) with respect to the upper slewing body 3 is provided.

As in the case of the example of the shovel 100 (fig. 8A and 8B), the operator can confirm the setting contents related to the construction area including the virtual wall VW (the target construction surfaces VW11 and VW12) via the confirmation screen in the preview mode displayed on the display device D1.

The controller 30 can notify the operator or the like of the distances between the target construction surfaces VW11, VW12 corresponding to the left and right wall surfaces of the groove GR and the control target site such as the cutting edge of the bucket 6 via the display device D1, the audio output device D2, or the like. This allows the operator or the like to perform excavation work without causing the cutting edge or the like of the bucket 6 to pass through the notified contents. Therefore, as shown in fig. 12, the operator or the like can perform excavation work further from the position where the sheet pile SP is installed using the excavator 100 to perform the excavation work on the excavation face EP (the + Y side excavation face EP11 and the-Y side excavation face EP12 in the figure) (corresponding to the wall face of the groove GR) which is substantially flush with the target work faces VW11 and VW 12.

Further, the controller 30 may operate the attachment AT so that the cutting edge of the bucket 6 moves along the target trajectory that does not cross the target construction surface VW11, VW12 in response to an operation of the operation device 26 by the operator or the like. Accordingly, the operator or the like can easily perform construction on the excavation surfaces EP11 and EP12 that are substantially flush with the target construction surfaces VW11 and VW12 using the shovel 100.

Further, when a boom raising and turning operation is performed via the operation device 26 in association with a turning operation in a direction toward the discharging target position (in this example, a turning operation on the right side), the controller 30 may operate the upper turning body 3 and the attachment AT so that a control target portion such as the cutting edge of the bucket 6 moves along the bucket 6 toward the target trajectory above the discharging target position PT. This makes it easy for the operator or the like to move the bucket 6 above the discharge target position PT and discharge earth and sand contained in the bucket 6 by the excavation work of the groove GR.

[ Another example of an operating device ]

Next, another example of the operation device 26 of the shovel 100 will be described with reference to fig. 13.

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the operation device 26. Specifically, fig. 13 is a diagram showing a specific example of a pilot circuit for applying pilot pressure to the control valve 17 (control valves 175L and 175R) of the hydraulic arm cylinder 7 in response to an operation of the electric boom operation lever 26A.

Pilot circuits for hydraulically controlling the arm cylinder 8 and the bucket cylinder 9 are the same as those of fig. 13 for hydraulically controlling the boom cylinder 7. The pilot circuit of the traveling hydraulic motors 1L and 1R that hydraulically control and drive the lower traveling body 1 (left and right crawler belts) is also shown in the same manner as in fig. 13. A pilot circuit for controlling the turning hydraulic motor 2A that drives the upper turning body 3 in a hydraulic manner is also shown in the same manner as in fig. 13. Therefore, the illustration of these pilot circuits is omitted.

As shown in fig. 13, the operation device 26 of at least one of the one example and the other example of the excavator 100 may be an electric type that outputs an electric signal according to the operation content.

The pilot circuit of the present example includes a boom raising operation solenoid valve 60 and a boom lowering operation solenoid valve 62.

The solenoid valve 60 is configured to be able to adjust the pressure of the hydraulic oil in an oil passage (pilot line) that connects the pilot pump 15 and the pilot pressure operation type control valve 17 (specifically, control valves 175L and 175R (see fig. 9)) to the pilot port on the boom raising side.

The solenoid valve 62 is configured to be able to adjust the pressure of the hydraulic oil in an oil passage (pilot line) connecting the pilot pump 15 and the pilot ports at the lowering side of the control valve 17 (control valves 175L and 175R).

When the boom 4 (boom cylinder 7) is manually operated, the controller 30 generates a boom raising operation signal (electric signal) or a boom lowering operation signal (electric signal) from an operation signal (electric signal) output from the boom operating lever 26A (operation signal generating portion). The operation signal (electric signal) output from the boom control lever 26A indicates the operation content (for example, the operation amount and the operation direction), and the boom raising operation signal (electric signal) and the boom lowering operation signal (electric signal) output from the operation signal generating unit of the boom control lever 26A change in accordance with the operation content (the operation amount and the operation direction) of the boom control lever 26A.

Specifically, when the boom manipulating lever 26A is manipulated in the boom raising direction, the controller 30 outputs a boom raising manipulation signal (electric signal) corresponding to the manipulation amount to the solenoid valve 60. The solenoid valve 60 operates in response to a boom raising operation signal (electric signal) to control a boom raising operation signal (pressure signal) which is a pilot pressure applied to a pilot port on the boom raising side of the control valve 175. Similarly, when the boom manipulating lever 26A is manipulated in the boom lowering direction, the controller 30 outputs a boom lowering manipulation signal (electric signal) corresponding to the manipulation amount to the solenoid valve 62. The solenoid valve 62 operates in response to a boom lowering operation signal (electric signal) to control a pilot pressure, that is, a boom lowering operation signal (pressure signal), applied to a pilot port on the boom lowering side of the control valve 175. Thereby, the control valve 17 can perform the operation of the boom cylinder 7 (boom 4) according to the operation content of the boom control lever 26A.

On the other hand, when the boom 4 (boom cylinder 7) is automatically operated according to the automatic driving function, the controller 30 generates a boom-up operation signal (electric signal) or a boom-down operation signal (electric signal) from the correction operation signal (electric signal) regardless of the operation signal (electric signal) output from the operation signal generating unit of the boom control lever 26A, for example. The correction operation signal may be an electric signal generated by the controller 30, or may be an electric signal generated by a control device or the like other than the controller 30. Thus, the control valve 17 can realize the operation of the boom 4 (the boom cylinder 7) in response to the correction operation signal (the electric signal) corresponding to the automatic driving function.

Similarly, when the boom 4 (boom cylinder 7) is remotely operated, the controller 30 generates a boom raising operation signal (electric signal) or a boom lowering operation signal (electric signal) from the correction operation signal (electric signal) regardless of the operation signal (electric signal) output from the operation signal generating unit of the boom control lever 26A, for example. The correction operation signal is generated based on, for example, a remote operation signal received from a predetermined external device (for example, the management device 300 described later).

Thereby, the control valve 17 can realize the operation of the boom 4 (the boom cylinder 7) according to the remote operation signal.

The operation of the boom 4 (boom cylinder 7) can be similarly applied to the operation of the arm 5 (arm cylinder 8), the bucket 6 (bucket cylinder 9), the upper revolving structure 3 (revolving hydraulic motor 2A), and the lower traveling structure 1 (traveling hydraulic motors 1L and 1R) by the same pilot circuit.

In this way, when the electric operation device 26 is used, the controller 30 can more easily perform the automatic driving function or the remote operation function of the excavator 100 than when the hydraulic pilot operation device 26 is used.

[ excavator management System ]

Next, a shovel management system SYS will be described with reference to fig. 14.

As shown in fig. 14, the excavator 100 according to the above-described example or another example may be included in an excavator management system SYS.

The shovel management system SYS includes a shovel 100, a terminal device 200, and a management device 300. One or more excavators 100 may be included in the excavator management system SYS. One or more terminal apparatuses 200 included in the shovel management system SYS may be provided.

The shovel 100 is mounted with predetermined communication equipment, and is connected to the management device 300 via a predetermined communication line NW so as to be able to communicate. The shovel 100 may be connected to the terminal device 200 via a communication line NW so as to be able to communicate with each other. The communication line NW may include, for example, a mobile communication network terminating in a base station. The communication line NW may include a satellite communication network using a communication satellite, for example. The communication line NW may include the internet, for example. The communication line NW may include a short-range communication network such as bluetooth (registered trademark) or WiFi.

The shovel 100 uploads various pieces of information (hereinafter referred to as "shovel information") acquired by the controller 30 to the management device 300 via the communication line NW. At this time, the shovel 100 may transmit the shovel information to the management device 300 together with information on the date and time at which the shovel information was acquired (hereinafter referred to as "acquisition date and time information"). Thus, the management device 300 can grasp the date and time at which the shovel information is acquired. The shovel 100 may upload shovel information to the management device 300 in response to a request received from the management device 300, or may automatically and periodically upload the shovel information according to a predetermined timing.

The shovel information uploaded to the management device 300 may include outputs of various sensors (e.g., sensors S1 to S5, the object detection device 70, the imaging device 80, and the like) mounted on the shovel 100. The shovel information may include information related to control states of various devices mounted on the shovel 100 (for example, a control command output from the controller 30 to the proportional valve 31).

The terminal device 200 is utilized by the person associated with the excavator 100. The user of the terminal device 200 (the person associated with the shovel 100) is, for example, an owner of the shovel 100, a manager of the shovel 100, a site supervisor of the shovel 100, an operator of the shovel 100, and the like. The terminal device 200 may be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet terminal, a laptop terminal, or the like. The terminal device 200 may be a fixed terminal such as a desktop computer terminal.

The terminal device 200 is connected to the management device 300 via a communication line NW so as to be able to communicate with the terminal device. The terminal device 200 may be connected to the shovel 100 via a communication line NW so as to be able to communicate with the shovel.

The terminal device 200 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and an audio output device such as a speaker, and provides various information to the user. The terminal device 200 receives information related to the shovel 100 (for example, the shovel information or processing information generated from the shovel information) transmitted from the management device 300, and provides the information to the user via a display device or an audio output device. The terminal device 200 may receive shovel information directly transmitted from the shovel 100, for example, and provide the shovel information to the user via a display device or an audio output device. The information transmitted from the management device 300 or the shovel 100 may include, for example, image information of the image pickup device 80 of the shovel 100 in substantially real time. This enables the user of the terminal device 200 to remotely grasp the situation of the site of the shovel 100.

The terminal device 200 may be configured to be able to remotely operate the shovel 100. Specifically, the terminal device 200 may display the image information of the imaging device 80 transmitted from the management device 300 or the shovel 100 on the display device, and allow the user to remotely operate the shovel 100 while viewing the image information. In this case, the user can use an operation input mechanism (for example, a touch panel, a touch pad, a joystick, or the like) mounted on the terminal device 200 or connected to the terminal device 200 so as to be able to communicate with it. The terminal device 200 transmits a remote operation signal including the content of the remote operation to the shovel 100 directly via the communication line NW or indirectly via the management device 300. As a result, the shovel 100 can operate in response to the remote operation signal from the terminal device 200 under the control of the controller 30 as described above. The terminal device 200 can display the same display contents as those of the setting screen images (for example, the setting screen images 600 and 1100) and the confirmation screen images (for example, the setting confirmation images 820, 870, and 880) corresponding to the setting mode and the preview mode of the display device D1, respectively. Thus, the user can perform setting related to the construction area around the shovel 100 or confirm the setting content thereof via the terminal device 200.

The management device 300 is disposed outside the shovel 100, and manages various states (for example, an operation state, a control state, presence or absence of an abnormality, and the like) of the shovel 100. The management device 300 is, for example, a server installed at a location different from a construction site where the shovel 100 performs construction. The server may be a cloud server or an edge server. The management device 300 may be, for example, an edge server or a management terminal disposed at a management office of a construction site where the shovel 100 is constructed. The management terminal may be, for example, a desktop computer terminal fixed to a management office, or a mobile terminal (for example, a tablet terminal or a laptop computer terminal) that can be carried by a manager or the like at a construction site.

The management device 300 receives the shovel information transmitted (uploaded) from the shovel 100, and stores the shovel information in a nonvolatile storage device so as to be extractable in time series for each shovel 100. The storage device may be an internal storage device of the management device 300 or an external storage device connected to be able to communicate.

The management device 300 performs management relating to various states of the shovel 100, for example, based on shovel information. Then, the management device 300 generates control information of the shovel 100 from, for example, the latest shovel information, and transmits the control information to the shovel 100 via the communication line NW. The management device 300 then supplies the shovel information or the machining information generated from the shovel information to the terminal device 200 via the communication line NW, for example.

The management device 300 may be configured to be able to remotely operate the shovel 100. Specifically, the management device 300 may display the image information of the imaging device 80 transmitted from the shovel 100 on a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and allow the operator of the remote operation to remotely operate the shovel 100 while viewing the image information. In this case, the operator who performs the remote operation may use an operation input mechanism for the remote operation provided in the management device 300 (for example, a widely-used operation device such as a touch panel, a touch pad, or a joystick, or a dedicated operation device that simulates the operation device 26). The management device 300 transmits a remote operation signal including the contents of the remote operation to the shovel 100 via the communication line NW. As a result, the shovel 100 can be operated by the remote operation signal from the management device 300 under the control of the controller 30 as described above. The management device 300 can display the same display contents as those of the setting screen images (for example, the setting screen images 600 and 1100) and the confirmation screen images (for example, the setting confirmation images 820, 870, and 880) corresponding to the setting mode and the preview mode of the display device D1, respectively. Thus, the operator who performs remote operation can perform setting related to the construction area around the shovel 100 or confirm the setting content thereof via the management device 300.

[ Effect ]

Next, the operation of the shovel 100 according to the present embodiment will be described in general.

In the present embodiment, the shovel 100 is provided with a display device D1 that displays an image showing a construction area (hereinafter, referred to as a "construction area image") around the shovel 100. In this case, the construction area image is, for example, an image captured by the imaging device 80, a converted image obtained by applying a predetermined conversion process to the captured image, or the like. The display device D1 displays the construction area image in a state where predetermined coordinates of the construction area are associated with image components (e.g., pixels) included in the construction area image.

Thus, for example, the operator or the like can designate a part of the construction area corresponding to the coordinates associated with a certain pixel of the captured image on the setting screen 600, that is, a part of the construction area reflected on the certain pixel by performing an operation of designating the certain pixel. Therefore, the operator or the like can instruct the controller 30 to an arbitrary position of the construction area around the shovel 100 without performing additional construction such as recognition of the shovel 100 by marking an identification mark or the like on an object around the shovel 100, and the controller 30 can perform setting relating to the construction area based on the instructed position. Therefore, the controller 30 can perform setting relating to the construction area while taking the workability into consideration.

The construction area image may be an image based on the output of another sensor, instead of the output (captured image) of the imaging device 80. For example, the construction area image may be a range image based on an output of a LIDAR, a millimeter wave radar, or the like included in the object detection device 70. The image forming portion may be an image forming block having a unit larger than a pixel, for example, a predetermined number of pixels as one block. In this case, the sizes of the image forming blocks may be all the same or at least partially different.

In the present embodiment, the controller 30 may perform setting of a part of the construction area corresponding to coordinates associated with an image component specified by an operation input on the construction area image displayed on the display device D1.

In this way, the controller 30 can specify a part of the construction area corresponding to the image forming portion of the specified construction area image, specifically, by an operation of the operator or the like, and perform setting relating to the part of the construction area.

In the present embodiment, the display device D1 may display the construction area image in a state in which coordinates corresponding to the position of a predetermined object (for example, the road cone RC) detected in the construction area around the excavator 100 are associated with the image component of the construction area image corresponding to the object.

Thus, for example, the operator or the like can specify the object located at the coordinate position corresponding to the specified pixel by an operation of specifying the pixel of the image portion on which the object is reflected (included) in the captured image of the setting screen 600. Therefore, the operator or the like can instruct the controller 30 of the position of a predetermined object in the construction area around the shovel 100 without performing additional construction such as recognition of the shovel 100 by marking an identification mark or the like on the object around the shovel 100, and the controller 30 can perform setting relating to the construction area based on the instructed position of the object. Therefore, the controller 30 can perform setting relating to the construction area while taking the workability into consideration.

In the present embodiment, the controller 30 may perform setting of an object associated with coordinates associated with an image component designated by an operation input related to the construction area image displayed on the display device D1.

Thus, the controller 30 can set, for example, an object corresponding to an image component designated by an operation of an operator or the like as an avoidance object, a target object, or the like at the time of construction of the shovel 100.

In the present embodiment, the controller 30 may set, as the construction-related target, a part of the construction area specified by coordinates associated with the image constituting part specified in accordance with the operation input related to the construction area image.

Thus, the controller 30 can set, for example, a ground portion of the construction area corresponding to the image forming portion designated by the operation of the operator or the like as the discharge target position or the like.

In the present embodiment, the controller 30 may set the object located at the position where the coordinates associated with the image component specified by the operation input related to the construction area image are associated with each other as the construction-related target, or may set the construction-related target with reference to the object.

Thus, the controller 30 can set the object corresponding to the image forming portion designated by the operation of the operator or the like as a target related to the construction (for example, set the dump truck as a loading target for discharging soil). The controller 30 can set a target related to construction with reference to an object corresponding to an image component designated by an operation of an operator or the like, for example (for example, set a target construction surface with reference to a designated sheet pile).

In the present embodiment, the controller 30 may set the object located at the position where the coordinates associated with the image component specified by the operation input related to the construction area image are associated as the avoidance object related to the construction, or may set the avoidance object related to the construction with reference to the object.

Thus, the controller 30 can set an object (for example, a road cone RC, a utility pole, or the like) corresponding to an image component designated by an operation of an operator or the like as a construction-related avoidance target. The controller 30 can set an avoidance target (for example, a non-existing virtual wall or the like) related to construction with reference to an object (for example, a road cone, a utility pole or the like) corresponding to an image component designated by an operation of an operator or the like, for example.

In the present embodiment, when an operation (for example, a reduction operation, an enlargement operation, a flick operation, a slide operation, or the like) is performed to change the region displayed on the display device D1 in the construction region image (for example, the captured image of the imaging device 80), the correspondence relationship between the coordinates predetermined for the construction region and the image components included in the construction region image is changed in accordance with the change of the region of the construction region image displayed on the display device D1.

Thus, even when the area displayed on the display device D1 is changed in the construction area image, the operator or the like can appropriately instruct (specify) the controller 30 an arbitrary position of the construction area around the excavator 100.

In the present embodiment, the controller 30 may set the avoidance target section (for example, the virtual wall VW) in accordance with the coordinates associated with the image forming portion specified by the operation input. The display device D1 may display the distance from the shovel to the avoidance target section (for example, the distance notification images 876 and 877).

This enables the operator to more specifically grasp the distance relationship between the shovel displayed on the display device D1 and the avoidance target section and to operate the shovel 100.

While the embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the present invention described in the claims.

Finally, the present application claims priority based on japanese patent application No. 2018-197615, filed on 19/10/2018, and the entire contents of the japanese patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

Description of the symbols

1-lower traveling body, 2A-swing hydraulic motor, 2M, 2ML, 2 MR-travel hydraulic motor, 3-upper swing body, 4-boom, 5-arm, 6-bucket, 7-boom cylinder, 8-arm cylinder, 9-bucket cylinder, 10-cab, 11-engine, 13-regulator, 14-main pump, 15-pilot pump, 17-control valve, 26-operating device, 26A-boom operating lever, 26B-swing operating lever, 26D-travel lever, 26 DL-left travel lever, 26 DR-right travel lever, 26L-left operating lever, 26R-right operating lever, 30-controller (setting portion), 31 AL-31 DL, 31 AR-31 DR-proportional valve, 32, B-right travel lever, 17-control valve, 26A-control valve, and the like, 32 AL-32 DL, 32 AR-32 DR-shuttle valves, 50L, 50R-pressure reducing valves, 70-object detecting means, 70B-rear sensor, 70F-front sensor, 70L-left sensor, 70R-right sensor, 80-camera means, 80B-rear camera, 80F-front camera, 80L-left camera, 80R-right camera, 100-excavator, AT-accessory, D1-display means, D1 a-display control means, D1B-image display means, D1 c-operation input means, D2-sound output means, NS-switch, RC-road cone (object), SP-sheet pile (object), VW-virtual wall (object avoiding, object avoiding zone), VW11, VW12 — target construction surface (target).