IP Library Granted Patent US 12668945
Granted Patent B2
US 12668945 · App. 18/044,605 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Automatic leveling system

Inventors: Nobuhiro Fukuo (Hiroshima, JP); Daisuke Noda (Hiroshima, JP)
Assignee: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
E02F3/436E02F9/262E02F3/434E02F3/439
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12668945
App. No.
18/044,605
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an automatic leveling system restraining leveling-objects from collapsing. The automatic leveling system includes a work machine that performs leveling motion, an imaging device, and a controller. The imaging device acquires three-dimensional information about the shape and position of at least one of the leveling-objects and a peripheral object. The work machine is provided with a work attachment including a tip attachment. The controller sets a leveling area based on the acquired three-dimensional information and makes the work machine perform the leveling motion by the tip attachment within the leveling area.

Claims (28)

1 . An automatic leveling system for automatically leveling leveling-objects, comprising:

a work machine capable of performing a leveling motion of leveling leveling-objects;

an imaging device that acquires three-dimensional information about a position and a shape of at least one of the leveling-objects and a peripheral object around the leveling-objects; and

a controller that makes the work machine perform the leveling motion, wherein:

the work machine includes a lower traveling body, an upper turning body turnably supported by the lower traveling body, and a work attachment attached to the upper turning body capably of rising and falling, the work attachment including an attachment body having a distal end and being operable to move the distal end at least in an upper-turning-body front-rear direction and a tip attachment held by the distal end of the attachment body and being capable of leveling the leveling-objects by movement of the tip attachment in contact with the leveling-objects, the upper-turning-body front-rear direction being a front-rear direction of the upper turning body;

the controller is configured to set a leveling area based on the three-dimensional information detected by the imaging device and configured to make the work machine perform the leveling motion by the tip attachment within the leveling area;

the peripheral object is a container that stores the leveling-objects, and the controller is configured to set the leveling area based on the three-dimensional information of the container;

the controller is configured to set the leveling area with respect to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction and configured to set a position of an end of the leveling area in the upper-turning-body front-rear direction to a position deviated in the upper-turning-body front-rear direction from an end of the container with respect to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction; and

the controller is configured to set a leveling motion start position to a position on an outer side of the end of the container with respect to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction, in the upper-turning-body front-rear direction, and the leveling motion start position is a position of an end of the leveling area with respect to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction, being a position at which the leveling motion is started.

2 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to make the work machine perform a front-rear leveling motion and a turning motion alternately, the front-rear leveling motion being the leveling motion that involves moving the tip attachment in the upper-turning-body front-rear direction relatively to the upper turning body and the turning motion being a motion of turning the upper turning body relatively to the lower traveling body.

3 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to set the leveling area with respect to an upper-turning-body lateral direction based on a lateral width of the tip attachment, the upper-turning-body lateral direction being a direction orthogonal to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction and the lateral width being a dimension of the tip attachment in the upper-turning-body lateral direction.

4 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is provided outside the work machine.

5 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to set a position of a front end of the leveling area with respect to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction to a position on a rear side of a front end of the container with respect to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction.

6 . An automatic leveling system for automatically leveling leveling-objects, comprising:

a work machine capable of performing a leveling motion of leveling leveling-objects;

an imaging device that acquires three-dimensional information about a position and a shape of at least one of the leveling-objects and a peripheral object around the leveling-objects;

a height detection unit that detects a height of the leveling-objects; and

a controller that makes the work machine perform the leveling motion, wherein:

the work machine includes a lower traveling body, an upper turning body turnably supported by the lower traveling body, and a work attachment attached to the upper turning body capably of rising and falling, the work attachment including an attachment body having a distal end and being operable to move the distal end at least in an upper-turning-body front-rear direction and a tip attachment held by the distal end of the attachment body and being capable of leveling the leveling-objects by movement of the tip attachment in contact with the leveling-objects, the upper-turning-body front-rear direction being a front-rear direction of the upper turning body,

the controller is configured to set a leveling area based on the three-dimensional information detected by the imaging device and configured to make the work machine perform the leveling motion by the tip attachment within the leveling area,

the peripheral object is a container that stores the leveling-objects, and the controller is configured to set the leveling area based on the three-dimensional information of the container, and

the controller is configured to set the leveling area with respect to a height direction from a position of an apex of the leveling-objects to a position lower than the apex by a predetermined height dimension, as a leveling height.

7 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 1 , further comprising a container inclination detection unit that detects an inclination of the container, wherein the controller is configured to set the leveling area so as to make the work machine level the leveling-objects in a direction along a bottom surface of the container, based on the inclination detected by the container inclination detection unit.

8 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to make the work machine perform a front-rear leveling motion and a turning motion alternately, the front-rear leveling motion being the leveling motion that involves moving the tip attachment in the upper-turning-body front-rear direction relatively to the upper turning body and the turning motion being a motion of turning the upper turning body relatively to the lower traveling body.

9 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to set the leveling area with respect to an upper-turning-body lateral direction based on a lateral width of the tip attachment, the upper-turning-body lateral direction being a direction orthogonal to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction and the lateral width being a dimension of the tip attachment in the upper-turning-body lateral direction.

10 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 6 , wherein the imaging device is provided outside the work machine.

11 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to set a position of a front end of the leveling area with respect to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction to a position on a rear side of a front end of the container with respect to the upper-turning-body front-rear direction.

12 . The automatic leveling system according to claim 6 , further comprising a container inclination detection unit that detects an inclination of the container, wherein the controller is configured to set the leveling area so as to make the work machine level the leveling-objects in a direction along a bottom surface of the container, based on the inclination detected by the container inclination detection unit.