Load detecting device and working machine provided with same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9523631-B2
Application number	US-201414773087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

A load detecting device that can highly accurately detect the magnitude and direction of a load whose direction of action changes regardless of the dimension of a pin is provided. Also, a working machine that is provided with this load detecting device and allows work to be performed safely and highly efficiently is provided. The load detecting device is configured with a pin-type load cell 4 and a load calculating unit 30 . The pin-type load cell 4 is provided with three pairs of or three strain detecting units that are placed in the circumferential direction of the pin body 1 . The load calculating unit 30 selects, from among the three or more pairs of or three or more strain detecting units, two pairs of or two strain detecting units that are less influenced by a change in the cross-sectional shape of the pin body 1 , and calculates a load that acts on the pin body 1 according to an output of these selected strain detecting units.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A load detecting device comprising:
a pin-type load cell; and
a load calculating unit that calculates a load that acts on the pin-type load cell according to a detection signal output of the pin-type load cell, wherein
the pin-type load cell includes a pin body provided with a pin hole in an axial direction, and three or more pairs of or three or more strain detecting units placed in a circumferential direction of the pin body, and
the load calculating unit includes a selecting unit that selects, from among the three or more pairs of or three or more strain detecting units, a strain detecting unit that is less influenced by a change in a cross-sectional shape of the pin body, and a calculating unit that calculates a load that acts on the pin body based on a detection signal output of the strain detecting unit selected by the selecting unit.

2. The load detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the strain detecting unit detects a shearing strain at a mounting location.

3. The load detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the three or more pairs of strain detecting units are each a pair of two strain sensors placed at opposite positions via a shaft center of the pin body.

4. The load detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one pair of or one strain detecting unit is installed at a location that is 90° or more away from a setting position of a particular one pair of or one strain detecting unit from among the three or more pairs of or three or more strain detecting units.

5. The load detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the load calculating unit selects, from among the three or more pairs of or three or more strain detecting units, two pairs of or a group of two strain detecting units that bring about a smallest load calculated value, and calculates loads that act in an x-axis direction and a y-axis direction that is orthogonal thereto of the pin body according to detection signal outputs of the selected two pairs of or two strain detecting units.

6. The load detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the load calculating unit selects, from among the three or more pairs of or three or more strain detecting units, a strain detecting unit that is less influenced by a change in a cross-sectional shape of the pin body by using information on a direction of action of a load, and calculates a load according to an output of the selected strain detecting units.

7. The load detecting device according to claim 6 , wherein
the load calculating unit selects two pairs of or two strain detecting units whose angles relative to the direction of action of the load are farthest from 45°, 135°, 225°, and 315°, and calculates the load that acts on the pin body based on a detection signal output of the selected two pairs of or two strain detecting units.

8. A working machine, wherein
a coupling unit of a mechanism member is joined by using the pin-type load cell according to claim 1 .

9. The working machine according to claim 8 , the working machine comprising: a undercarrige; an upperstructure mounted on an upper portion of the undercarrige; a working device mounted freely turnably on the upperstructure; an attachment mounted on a tip of the working device via a turning shaft; a posture detecting unit that detects a posture of the working machine; an arithmetic operation device that performs arithmetic operation to determine a load that acts on the attachment; and a display device that displays the load that acts on the attachment, wherein
a coupling unit between the working device and the attachment is coupled by using the pin-type load cell,
the arithmetic operation device calculates a load applied to the attachment based on an output of the posture detecting unit and the pin-type load cell, and
the display device displays magnitude and a direction of a load based on an output result of the arithmetic operation device.

Assignees

• Hitachi Construction Mach Co

Inventors

• Mizuochi Mariko
• Ishii Akinori

Classifications

• G01N3/24 Primary

  by applying steady shearing forces (G01N3/26, G01N3/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01L1/18

  using properties of piezo-resistive materials, i.e. materials of which the ohmic resistance varies according to changes in magnitude or direction of force applied to the material · CPC title

• G01L5/0061

  Force sensors associated with industrial machines or actuators (for the specific machine or actuator involved see relevant class, e.g. F01, F04, F16, B66, E21) · CPC title

• G01G3/1408 Primary

  the supports being of the column type, e.g. cylindric · CPC title

• G01G19/12

  having electrical weight-sensitive devices · CPC title