Patent Application
20200347571
The present disclosure relates generally to an indicator assembly and, more particularly, to a grade control indicator assembly that includes a keypad with a set of grade control light indicators integrated into the keypad and raised above a surface of a frame into which the grade control indicator assembly is to be disposed.
A machine, such as a grading machine, motor grader machine, a paver, a cold planer, a rotary mixer, and/or the like, may include a transmission coupled to a power source, such as an internal combustion engine to enable the machine to be repositioned and/or to travel between locations. During a grading operation the machine may be used to achieve a desired grade for a surface. An operator of the machine may determine a current grade of the machine and may adjust one or more control parameters of the machine to cause the machine to change from the current grade to the desired grade. The machine may include a grade control console that provides a display to provide information regarding the current grade of the machine. The display may include an integrated grade control light bar to provide an indication of the current grade of the machine.
However, previous attempts to integrate a grade control light bar into a display of a grade control console have resulted in difficulties with regard to servicing the grade control light bar. For example, the display may include many electrical components, which may make isolating an issue with an electrical component of the grade control light bar difficult. Further, the grade control light bar may be associated with a poor angle of view for the operator as a result of the display blocking the operators view when the operator attempts to view the grade control light bar from an angled position. This may negatively affect an operability of the machine, which may result in poor grade control.
The grade control indicator assembly of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art.
A grade control indicator assembly may include a keypad to control one or more functionalities of a machine, the keypad including a set of grade control light indicators integrated into the keypad, and the set of grade control light indicators including a first subset of grade control light indicators for indicating a grade of the machine with respect to a first side of the machine and a second subset of grade control light indicators for indicating the grade of the machine with respect to a second side of the machine.
A grade control system may include a display device and a grade control indicator assembly. The grade control indicator assembly may include a first sub-assembly disposed on a first side of the display device and associated with indicating a grade of a machine with respect to a corresponding first side of the machine and a second sub-assembly disposed on a second side of the display device and associated with indicating the grade of the machine with respect to a corresponding second side of the machine. Each sub-assembly may include a plurality of grade control light indicators raised above a frame of the grade control indicator assembly.
A grade control indicator assembly may include a keypad to control one or more functionalities of a machine, the keypad including a set of grade control light indicators integrated into the keypad and raised above a surface of the keypad to provide greater than a threshold viewing angle, and the set of grade control light indicators including a first subset of grade control light indicators for indicating a grade of the machine with respect to a first side of the machine and a second subset of grade control light indicators for indicating the grade of the machine with respect to a second side of the machine.
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The grade control system 100 may be an apparatus that is operably connected to operator controls of a machine, such as a motor grader machine, a paver machine, a screed machine, a cold planer machine, and/or the like. The grade control system 100 may be supported in an operator station of a machine by a support 108. The support 108 may provide structural support for mounting the grade control system 100 in the operator station of the machine and/or may communicatively connect the grade control system 100 to the operator controls of the machine, to one or more implements of the machine (e.g., a grader implement), and/or the like. In some implementations, the grade control system 100 may be decoupled from other operator controls of the machine. For example, the grade control system 100 may be a separate console connected to the machine, rather than integrated into other control systems of the machine.
The display 102 may be a display that provides a user interface including information relating to a state of a machine. For example, the display 102 may provide, for display, a user interface identifying a grade of the machine, whether the machine is moving, and/or the like. In some implementations, the display 102 may provide information relating to the grade control light indicators 106. For example, the display 102 may provide information identifying a function of each grade control light indicator 106, help information for enabling an operator to use each grade control light indicator 106 to operate a corresponding function, and/or the like.
The grade control indicator subassemblies 104 may form a grade control indicator assembly 110. Each grade control indicator subassembly 104 may be associated with providing grade control information for a machine. For example, the grade control indicator subassembly 104-1 may provide grade control information for a first side of a machine and the grade control indicator subassembly 104-2 may provide grade control information for a second side of the machine. The grade control indicators subassemblies 104 may be detachable from display 102. For example, the grade control system 100 may include a frame to receive the grade control indicator subassemblies 104 and the display 102.
Each grade control indicator subassembly 104 may include multiple grade control light indicators 106. For example, the grade control indicator subassembly 104-1 includes grade control light indicators 106-1 through 106-5 and the grade control indicator subassembly 104-2 includes grade control light indicators 106-6 through 106-10. Although some implementations are shown with a particular quantity of grade control indicator subassemblies 104 and/or a particular quantity of grade control light indicators 106, other configurations with other quantities are possible. The grade control light indicators 106 may be backlit indicators. Alternatively, the grade control light indicators 106 may each be a display button coupled to a display controller that controls information provided for display on each display button.
The grade control light indicators 106 may be a set of keys of a keypad that include light indicators. For example, grade control light indicator 106-1 may be a keypad key that includes a function indicator 112 corresponding to a function of grade control light indicator 106-1 and a grade indicator 114 to identify a grade of a machine. Each grade control light indicator 106 may include a grade indicator 114 to indicate a level of the grade (e.g., forming 5 grade levels for each side of a machine, which may correspond to a two positive-slope grades, a neutral-slope grade, and two negative-slope grades). In some implementations, the grade control light indicators 106 may be associated with control of a grade or a slope of a machine.
As an example, the grade control light indicator 106-1 may be associated with an ‘increase grade for a left side of the machine’ function. Similarly, the grade control light indicator 106-2 may be associated with a ‘decrease grade for the left side of the machine’ function, the grade control light indicator 106-3 may be associated with a ‘lock display’ function (e.g., a locking functionality to lock a user interface of display 102), the grade control light indicator 106-4 may be associated with a ‘store grade for the left side of the machine’ function (e.g., a memory functionality), and the grade control light indicator 106-5 may be associated with an ‘activate/deactivate automatic grade control for the left side of the machine’ function (e.g., an automatic grade control functionality).
As another example, the grade control light indicator 106-6 may be associated with an ‘increase grade for a right side of the machine’ function, the grade control light indicator 106-7 may be associated with a ‘decrease grade for the right side of the machine’ function, the grade control light indicator 106-8 may be associated with a ‘access grade control on display’ function (e.g., change a user interface of display 102 to show information relating to grade control), the grade control light indicator 106-9 may be associated with a ‘store grade for the right side of the machine’ function, and the grade control light indicator 106-10 may be associated with an ‘activate/deactivate automatic grade control for the right side of the machine’ function. Although described herein in terms of a particular set of functionalities, other functionalities may be used in various implementations.
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The light 302 may be disposed behind a grade indicator 114 of a grade control light indicator 106. Grade indicator 114 may form a light bar that may be active (e.g., lit) when a controller determines that a grade of a machine corresponds to a position of grade indicator 114 with respect to other grade indicators 114. For example, a grade control light indicator 106 may include multiple light 302 to provide multiple levels of brightness for indicating a grade when lighting up the grade indicator 114. Alternatively, characteristics of the light 302 may be adjustable independently of a grade of a machine. For example, the brightness may be manually adjusted by an operator, automatically controlled based on an ambient light sensor or a timer, and/or the like.
Additionally, or alternatively, the light 302 and/or another light, such as a light 304 or a light 306 may be associated with multiple colors to provide information relating to a grade when lighting up grade indicator 114. For example, the light 302 or another light may be a red light, a green light, and a yellow light. As another example, the light 302 or another light may be one or more amber lights, one or more green lights, and/or the like. In this case, differing colors may correspond to differing statuses of functions controlled by the grade control light indicators 106. For example, a light of the button 106-3 may be green to indicate that a machine is on grade, whereas lights of buttons 106-1, 106-2, 106-4, and 106-5 may be amber or red to indicate that the machine is off grade.
A light 304 may be a function status indicator. For example, a light 304 may be communicatively coupled to a controller and the controller may cause the light 304 to be active when a corresponding function (e.g., a function of function indicator 112) is on. In this way, light 304 enables information to be provided regarding whether a function is active (e.g., actually being used). For example, when an automatic grade control function in off, a light 304 may be off to indicate that a function to use automatic grade control is off. Similarly, at another time when the automatic grade control is on, the light 304 may be on to indicate that the automatic grade control function is being used.
A light 306 may be a function availability indicator to illuminate function indicator 112. For example, a light 306 may be communicatively coupled to a controller and the controller may cause the light 306 to be active when a corresponding function (e.g., a function of function indicator 112) is available for use. In this case, when the function is unavailable (e.g., when automatic grade control is unavailable), light 306 may be off.
The lights 302, 304, and 306 may be coupled to a controller, a processor, a microprocessor, and/or the like, such as via the plug 202. In this way, the controller, the processor, the microprocessor, and/or the like may control a brightness, an illumination, and/or the like.
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A grade control indicator assembly may be used with any grade control system of any machine. The grade control indicator assembly may receive information identifying a grade of a machine, such as a grade that is being achieved by an implement of the machine with respect to a right side of the implement and with respect to a left side of the implement. The grade control indicator assembly may illuminate one or more grade control light indicators to identify the grade to an operator. The grade control indicator assembly may receive input via a user interaction with one or more buttons of a keypad, which may form the one or more grade control light indicators, thereby enabling operator control of the grade of the machine.
Several advantages may be associated with the grade control indicator assembly. For example, by providing grade control light indicators and keypad buttons for controlling a grade in a common assembly, the grade control indicator assembly improves a usability by operators of a machine. In this way, an accuracy of grade control may be improved. Moreover, based on decoupling the grade control indicator assembly from a display by providing the grade control indicator assembly as a separate assembly that is connectable to the display and does not include the display rather than integrated into the display, repairability may be improved. In this way, durability of a machine may be improved, costs associated with repairs to the grade control indicator assembly may be reduced, and/or the like.
Further, the grade control system may be decoupled from other operator controls of the machine, thereby improving repairability relative to the grade control system being integrated into operator controls of a machine. As another advantage, surfaces of the grade control light indicators may be raised relative to the grade control system and a display or a frame thereof, thereby providing a threshold increased viewing angle of the grade control light indicators. This may enable an operator to view the grade control light indicators at a greater range of positions within an operator station of the machine, thereby improving grade control.
