# US 12,760,493 B2 · Work machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,493 B2 - Document ID: US12760493B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/768,136 - Filed: 2020-10-16 - Published: 2024-09-12 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-31 - Assignees: Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Toshiro Ueta; Michio Hirayama; Kazuomi Endo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760493B2 ## CPC - E02F 3/437: {providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant} - E02F 9/265: {with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)} - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) ## Abstract A work machine includes: a reference posture setting part which sets a reference posture which is one of postures of a working device in a holding task; an estimative load determination part which determines, based on a load acquired by a load acquisition section, an estimative load of an object of a work estimated to be discharged at a position above a loading destination in a discharge task when a predetermined estimative load determinative criterion is satisfied; an output part which outputs an estimative result which is information about the estimative load determined by the estimative load determination part. The estimative load determinative criterion includes a criterion that a posture change amount representing a changed degree of the posture of the working device from the reference posture is equal to or larger than a predetermined change amount threshold for determination of the estimative load. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A work machine which performs an excavation task of excavating soil and sand of ground on a work site by a bucket to hold the excavated soil and sand by the bucket, and a discharge task of discharging the excavated soil and sand from the bucket at a position above a loading destination, the work machine comprising: a machine body; a working device which includes a boom supported on the machine body tiltably in a rising direction and a lowering direction, and the bucket for excavating the soil and sand in the excavation task; a posture acquisition section including a posture detector and configured to acquire a posture of the working device; a load acquisition section including a sensor and configured to acquire a load of the soil and sand held by the bucket; an input manipulation receipt part including a switch configured to receive an input manipulation by an operator; and a controller configured to set a reference posture which is one of postures of the working device in the excavation task, the reference posture being a posture of the working device acquired after the switch receives the input manipulation; determine that the working device has moved to a height level where the discharge task is to be performed based on a posture change amount being equal to or larger than a predetermined change amount threshold for determination of an estimative load of the soil and sand estimated to be discharged at the position above the loading destination in the discharge task, the posture change amount representing a changed degree of the posture of the working device from the reference posture; determine, based on the load acquired by the load acquisition section, the estimative load when a predetermined estimative load determinative criterion is satisfied, the predetermined estimative load determinative criterion including a first criterion that the posture change amount is equal to or larger than the predetermined change amount threshold; and output an estimative result which is information about the estimative load determined by the controller. ### Claim 2 A work machine which performs an excavation task of excavating soil and sand of ground on a work site by a bucket to hold the excavated soil and sand by the bucket, and a discharge task of discharging the excavated soil and sand from the bucket at a position above a loading destination, the work machine comprising: a machine body; a working device which includes a boom supported on the machine body tiltably in a rising direction and a lowering direction, and the bucket for excavating the soil and sand in the excavation task; a posture acquisition section including a posture detector and configured to acquire a posture of the working device; a load acquisition section including a sensor and configured to acquire a load of the soil and sand held by the bucket; and a controller configured to set a reference posture which is one of postures of the working device in the excavation task; determine that the working device has moved to a height level where the discharge task is to be performed based on a posture change amount being equal to or larger than a predetermined change amount threshold for determination of an estimative load of the soil and sand estimated to be discharged at the position above the loading destination in the discharge task, the posture change amount representing a changed degree of the posture of the working device from the reference posture; determine, based on the load acquired by the load acquisition section, the estimative load when a predetermined estimative load determinative criterion is satisfied, the predetermined estimative load determinative criterion including a first criterion that the posture change amount is equal to or larger than the predetermined change amount threshold; and output an estimative result which is information about the estimative load determined by the controller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The work machine according to claim 2, wherein the posture acquisition section includes a boom angle acquisition part which acquires a boom angle of the boom to the machine body, the controller is configured to set the boom angle acquired in the excavation task as the reference posture, and the posture change amount is an increased amount in the boom angle from the reference posture in the rising direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The work machine according to claim 3, further comprising: a boom manipulation device for receiving a boom raising manipulation of raising the boom in the rising direction, wherein the controller is configured to set, as the reference posture, the boom angle acquired when the boom raising manipulation is started in the excavation task. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The work machine according to claim 3, wherein the estimative load determinative criterion further includes a second criterion that the boom angle from the reference posture continues to increase until the increased amount in the boom angle reaches the change amount threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The work machine according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to set, as the reference posture, a minimum value of the boom angle in the excavation task. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The work machine according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to set, as the reference posture, the boom angle at a finish time of the excavation task. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The work machine according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to output, as the estimative load, the load acquired by the load acquisition section when the estimative load determinative criterion is satisfied. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The work machine according to claim 2, wherein the estimative load determinative criterion further includes a third criterion that the load of the soil and sand acquired by the load acquisition section is equal to or larger than an estimative load determinative threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The work machine according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to update the reference posture to one of postures of the working device in the excavation task to be executed after a time when a predetermined update criterion is satisfied before the estimative load determinative criterion is satisfied after the reference posture is set, the update criterion being for determination as to whether to update the reference posture, and the controller is configured to determine, based on the updated reference posture, whether the estimative load determinative criterion is satisfied. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The work machine according to claim 10, wherein the update criterion includes a criterion that the load of the soil and sand acquired by the load acquisition section is equal to or smaller than a predetermined update determinative load threshold before the estimative load determinative criterion is satisfied after the reference posture is set. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The work machine according to claim 10, wherein the update criterion includes a criterion that the boom is lowered in the lowering direction before the estimative load determinative criterion is satisfied after the reference posture is set. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The work machine according to claim 2, further comprising: an input manipulation receipt part including a switch configured to receive an input manipulation by an operator, wherein the controller is configured to set, as the reference posture, a posture of the working device acquired after the switch receives the input manipulation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The work machine according to claim 2, further comprising: an input manipulation receipt part including a switch configured to receive an input manipulation by an operator, wherein the controller is configured to set, as the reference posture, a posture of the working device acquired when the switch receives the input manipulation.