Work machine remote control system

Abstract

A work machine remote control system includes a sensor data reception unit that receives detection data of an attitude of working equipment included in a work machine operated by an operation signal from a remote place, an alarm control unit that outputs an alarm control signal when it is determined, based on the detection data, that the working equipment is approaching or has reached an end position in a movable range, and an alarm device that is provided in the remote place and outputs an alarm based on the alarm control signal from the alarm control unit.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A work machine remote control system comprising:
 a work machine having a working equipment:   a processor, the processor being configured to:
 receive detection data related to the working equipment included in the work machine operated by an operation signal from a remote place; 
 detect an attitude of the working equipment; 
 determine whether a level of an impact acting on the working equipment is equal to or greater than a threshold based on detection data of the working equipment attitude sensor; 
 output an alarm control signal when it is determined, based on the detection data, that the level of the impact acting on the working equipment is equal to or greater than a threshold; 
 output an alarm based on the alarm control signal from the alarm control unit; and 
 perform cushion control based on the detection data of the working equipment attitude sensor, cushion control being control to decelerate a rod when the rod of a hydraulic cylinder of the working equipment approaches a stroke end; 
 whereby the alarm is output before the cushion control of the working equipment is performed and as a result an operator in the remote place can perform remote control that does not cause an excessive impact to be applied to the working equipment. 
   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A work machine remote control system comprising:
 a work machine having a working equipment, a hydraulic cylinder that drives the working equipment based on hydraulic oil supplied from a hydraulic pump, and a pressure sensor that detects a pressure of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic cylinder;   a processor, the processor being configured to:
 receive detection data related to the working equipment included in the work machine operated by an operation signal from a remote place; 
 detect an attitude of the working equipment; 
 determine whether a level of an impact acting on the working equipment is equal to or greater than a threshold based on detection data of the pressure of the hydraulic oil detected by the pressure sensor; 
 output an alarm control signal when it is determined, based on the detection data, that the level of the impact acting on the working equipment is equal to or greater than a threshold; 
 output an alarm based on the alarm control signal from the alarm control unit; and 
 perform cushion control based on the detection data of the working equipment attitude sensor, cushion control being control to decelerate a rod when the rod of a hydraulic cylinder of the working equipment approaches a stroke end; 
 whereby the alarm is output before the cushion control of the working equipment is performed and as a result an operator in the remote place can perform remote control that does not cause an excessive impact to be applied to the working equipment. 
   
     
     
         8 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the pressure sensor includes a boom pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the boom cylinder, an arm pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the arm cylinder, and a bucket pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the bucket cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the pressure sensor is provided in each of a bottom flow path and a rod flow path and when the hydraulic oil is supplied to a rod chamber and the hydraulic cylinder contracts, the pressure sensor provided in the rod flow path detects the pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to the hydraulic cylinder, when the hydraulic oil is supplied to the bottom chamber and the hydraulic cylinder extends, the pressure sensor provided in the bottom flow path detects the pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to the hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         10 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 9 , wherein the pressure sensor is provided in each of the bottom chamber and the rod chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect an attitude of a swinging platform of the work machine,
 whereby when a vehicle attitude sensor that detects the attitude of the swinging platform is disposed in the working equipment, the processor can alternatively determine whether the level of the impact is equal to or greater than the threshold based on the detection data of the vehicle attitude sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 11 , wherein the attitude of the swinging platform includes an inclination angle (roll, pitch) of the swinging platform with respect to a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         13 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 11 , wherein an inertial measurement unit (IMU) is provided in the swinging platform. 
     
     
         14 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 5 , wherein the attitude of the working equipment includes an angle of the working equipment including a boom attitude sensor that detects an angle of the boom with respect to a swinging platform of the work machine, an arm attitude sensor that detects an angle of the arm with respect to the boom, and a bucket attitude sensor that detects an angle of the bucket with respect to the arm. 
     
     
         15 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 5 , wherein a working equipment attitude sensor is a stroke sensor disposed in the hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder tube, a piston that moves inside the cylinder tube, and a rod connected to the piston,
 wherein the stroke sensor detects a stroke length of the hydraulic cylinder indicating a movement distance of the rod, the stroke length refers to a movement distance of the rod from the stroke end of the hydraulic cylinder, the stroke end refers to an end position in a movable range of the rod, wherein, the stroke end refers to a position of the rod in a state that the hydraulic cylinder is most contracted or a position of the rod in a state that the hydraulic cylinder is most extended.   
     
     
         16 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 14 , wherein the boom attitude sensor is a stroke sensor disposed in the boom cylinder, the boom attitude sensor detects a stroke length of the boom cylinder. 
     
     
         17 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 14 , wherein the arm attitude sensor is a stroke sensor disposed in the arm cylinder, the arm attitude sensor detects a stroke length of the arm cylinder. 
     
     
         18 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 14 , wherein the bucket attitude sensor is a stroke sensor disposed in the bucket cylinder, the bucket attitude sensor detects a stroke length of the bucket cylinder. 
     
     
         19 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 14 , wherein the working equipment includes an angle sensor capable of detecting the angle of the working equipment such as a potentiometer. 
     
     
         20 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 14 , wherein the working equipment attitude sensor may be an inertial measurement unit (IMU) provided in the working equipment. 
     
     
         21 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 5 , wherein the alarm is a sound, a blinking image on a display, a color change on the display or a vibration from a vibration generator. 
     
     
         22 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 5 , wherein when the impact acts on the working equipment, the working equipment vibrates with an amplitude of a predetermined value or higher, such that when the impact acts on the working equipment, the attitude of the working equipment changes such that the working equipment reciprocates at the amplitude equal to or larger than a first threshold,
 whereby the processor can determine whether the level of the impact is equal to or greater than the threshold based on the detection data of the attitude of the working equipment detected by the working equipment attitude sensor.   
     
     
         23 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 7 , wherein when the impact acts on the working equipment, a pressure of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic cylinder rapidly changes, such that when the impact acts on the working equipment, the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic cylinder increases by a change amount equal to or greater than a second threshold,
 whereby the processor can determine whether the level of the impact is equal to or greater than the threshold based on the detection data of the pressure of the hydraulic oil detected by the pressure sensor.   
     
     
         24 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 11 , wherein when the impact acts on the working equipment, the swinging platform of the work machine vibrates in a pitch direction with an amplitude or acceleration equal to or greater than a predetermined value,
 whereby the processor can determine whether the level of the impact is equal to or greater than the threshold based on the detection data of the vehicle attitude sensor including an inertial measurement unit (IMU) provided in the swinging platform.   
     
     
         25 . The work machine remote control system according to  claim 5 , wherein when the impact acts on the working equipment, the working equipment vibrates at an acceleration equal to or greater than a predetermined value,
 whereby when an acceleration sensor is disposed in the working equipment, the processor can alternatively determine whether the level of the impact is equal to or greater than the threshold based on the detection data of the acceleration sensor.