Patent Application
20200072032
The present disclosure relates to a grade management system for a construction vehicle. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a system that provides directional guidance for an implement associated with a construction vehicle, the directional guidance including at least a depth (or Z-direction) for controlled or guided digging.
In one aspect, the disclosure provides a grade management system configured to control a depth of a dig that includes a vehicle including an arm assembly coupled to an implement, the implement configured to dig into a surface, and an implement position sensor coupled to the arm assembly, the implement position sensor configured to detect a position of the implement relative to the vehicle, wherein in response to digging into the surface with the implement, detecting the position of the implement relative to the vehicle and determining whether any portion of the implement reaches a targeted depth into the surface.
In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of controlling a depth of a dig in a surface with a vehicle that includes selecting a target depth of the dig into the surface, detecting a position of an implement relative to the vehicle, using the detected position of the implement relative to the vehicle to assign an initial implement position, determining the distance from the initial implement position to the ground, determining a final implement position based on at least a position of the implement relative to the vehicle upon reaching the target depth of the dig into the surface, initiating digging with the implement, monitoring the position of the implement relative to the vehicle during digging, and determining whether the detected position of the implement relative to the vehicle corresponds to the final implement position.
Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The disclosure is capable of supporting other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
The application refers to the terms “construction vehicle” or “vehicle,” but illustrates a compact track loader. It should be appreciated that the terms “construction vehicle” and “vehicle” can include a compact track loader or a skid steer (or skid loader, or skid-steer loader). In addition, the “construction vehicle” and “vehicle” can include any other suitable vehicle or equipment that can be configured to operate an implement that digs, drills, trenches, or otherwise moves or removes material and it is advantageous to control the depth of the implement and/or the depth of a space being created. As a non-limiting example, the “construction vehicle” or “vehicle” can include a backhoe with a bucket or other suitable implement for digging, drilling, trenching or otherwise moving material. As another non-limiting example, the “construction vehicle” or “vehicle” can include an agricultural tractor with a trencher or other suitable implement for digging, drilling, trenching or otherwise moving material. In some embodiments, the systems disclosed herein are suited for application on or use in conjunction with equipment having one or more implements used to dig, drill, trench, or otherwise move or remove material.
The application also refers to the term “implement,” but illustrates the implement as an auger attachment for digging holes. It should be appreciated that the term “implement” can include an auger or auger attachment, but is not limited to the auger or auger attachment. The term “implement” can include a bucket (or bucket attachment), a trencher (or trencher attachment), or any other suitable tool or device configured to dig, drill, trench, or otherwise move or remove material. The “implement” can be removable or can be permanently attached to the vehicle. Further, the “implement” can include any suitable tool or device usable with the system disclosed herein to allow for a precise location of at least one hole, and/or a control of a depth of a dig of a hole, trench, hollowed out area, or other recess as described herein.
The term calculating (or calculate and calculated), as used herein, is used with reference to calculations performed by the disclosed system. The term includes calculating, determining, and estimating.
With reference now to the figures,
An engine (not shown) is coupled to the frame 12, and is operable to move the vehicle 10. More specifically, the engine is configured to drive the wheel assembly 18 (e.g., drive the drive wheels 26, 30, etc.). This facilitates movement of the vehicle 10 along a surface 38, such as ground, terrain, or any other topography upon which the vehicle 10 traverses. An operator cab 42 is coupled to the frame 14. The operator cab 42 defines a space suitable to receive at least one individual to operate the vehicle 10.
With reference to
An implement 90 is coupled to an implement end 94 of the arm assembly 46. The implement 90 is coupled to the arm assembly 46, and more specifically the boom arms 50, 54, at a fifth pin 98. A second cylinder 102a, 102b extends between each boom arm 50, 54 and the implement 90, facilitating movement of the implement 90 relative to the arm assembly 46 (e.g., the implement 90 can pivot about a pivot axis defined by the fifth pin 98). In the illustrated embodiment, the implement 90 is illustrated as an auger attachment 90. The auger attachment 90 includes a mount plate 104 (or a control surface 104). A drive assembly 106 is coupled to the mount plate 104. The drive assembly 106 is configured to rotate an auger 110. The drive assembly 106 is shown as a belt driven system to drive the auger 110. In other embodiments, the drive assembly 106 can include a standalone motor or any other suitable drive that is configured to rotate the auger 110. The auger 110 extends (or projects away) from the mount plate 104. The mount plate 104 includes a mounting portion that provides an attachment position (not shown) to couple an end of each second cylinder 102a, 102b to the auger attachment 90. The mount plate 104 also defines a pin receiving aperture (not shown) that is configured to receive the fifth pin 98, facilitating coupling of the auger attachment 90 to the arm assembly 46 (and more specifically to the boom arms 50, 54).
With reference to
The vehicle 10 includes a vehicle location sensor 126, illustrated as a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver 126. In
The vehicle 10 also includes an implement position sensor assembly that is configured to calculate a position (or orientation or attitude) of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10. The implement position sensor assembly can include one or more of one or more cylinder position sensors 130, 134, one or more pin rotation sensors 138, and/or at least one inertial measurement unit 142. The implement position sensor assembly together can calculate an orientation (or attitude) of the vehicle 10 relative to the surface 38 (or ground 38), and an associated position (or orientation or attitude) of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10. In other embodiments, the implement position sensor assembly can calculate the orientation (or attitude) of the implement 90 relative to the surface 38 (or ground 38) independent of the vehicle 10. While the illustrated implement position sensor assembly includes a plurality of cylinder position sensors 130, 134, a plurality of pin rotation sensors 138, and an inertial measurement unit 142, in other embodiments, the implement position sensor assembly can include any combination of sensors suitable to calculate the position (or orientation or attitude) of the implement 90 relative to the surface 38 (or ground 38).
With reference to
One or more pin rotation sensors 138 can be associated with one or more pins 70, 74, 78, 82 of the arm assembly 46. More specifically, one or more of the pins 70a, 70b, 74a, 74b, 78a, 78b, 82a, 82b can include the pin rotation sensor 138 to detect rotation of the associated pin 70a, 70b, 74a, 74b, 78a, 78b, 82a, 82b during movement of the arm assembly 46. The position/rotation of the associated pin(s) 70a, 70b, 74a, 74b, 78a, 78b, 82a, 82b can be used to facilitate calculating a position of the implement 90 through the position of the arm assembly 46. It should be appreciated that each pin 70a, 70b, 74a, 74b, 78a, 78b, 82a, 82b can include an associated pin rotation sensor 138, or fewer than all of the pins can include an associated pin rotation sensor 138. Generally, the number of pin rotation sensors 138 integrated into the arm assembly 46 is sufficient to detect a position of the arm assembly 46. As an example, pin rotation sensors 138 can be associated with one set of pins (e.g., pins 70a, 74a, 78a, 82a, or pins 70b, 74b, 78b, 82b, etc.) to detect the position of the arm assembly 46.
An inertial measurement unit 142 (or IMU 142 or inertial measurement sensor 142) is positioned at a location on the vehicle 10. For example, the inertial measurement unit 142 is positioned on the frame 14. More specifically, the inertial measurement unit 142 can be positioned in an engine compartment to detect an attitude of the vehicle 10 (e.g., a roll, a pitch, a yaw, a position of the vehicle 10 relative to the surface or ground 38, etc.). The inertial measurement unit 142 can detect changes in the position and/or orientation of the attached component. More specifically, each inertial measurement unit 142 can detect changes in (or measures the position and/or orientation of) the attached component along up to three axes: an X-axis or roll, a Y-axis or pitch, and a Z-axis or yaw. The inertial measurement unit 142 can have a sensor associated with each axis that is being measured, such as a gyroscope and/or an accelerometer. The inertial measurement unit 142 provides sensor data associated with the position of the attached component along the measured axes with reference to a reference position. The reference position can include gravity or a preset location of the component being measured (e.g., an orientation on a flat surface/ground 34, etc.). The inertial measurement unit 142 tracks the position of the associated component during operation of the vehicle 10. As shown in
A control system 146 (or controller 146) can be in communication with the vehicle location sensor 126 (or the GPS receiver 126) and the implement position sensor assembly (e.g., the cylinder position sensors 130, 134, the pin rotation sensors 138, and/or the inertial measurement unit 142). The communication can be any suitable wired or wireless system for communication (e.g., radio, cellular, BLUETOOTH, 802.11 Wireless Networking protocol, etc.), and is illustrated in broken lines. The grade management system 200 can reside on the control system 146 to facilitate operation from the vehicle 10. The control system 146 is also in communication with the operator cab 42 through an operator interface (not shown) to provide information relating to the vehicle location sensor 126, the implement position sensor assembly, and the grade management system 200 to an operator.
Referring to
Next, at step 208 the operator can enter information associated with the implement 90. More specifically, the operator can enter an offset distance for the implement 90 from a control point (position where the implement 90 connects to the arm assembly 46 or other portion of the vehicle 10) to a portion of the implement 90 that contacts the surface 38 (or ground 38). For example, in embodiments where the implement 90 is an auger attachment 90, at step 208 the user enters the auger length 122 associated with the auger 110. As shown in
Once setup is complete, the system 200 proceeds to step 212. At step 212 the operator initiates the digging operation. This can include entering a “proceed,” a “dig,” a “go,” or other similar command on the console or operator interface (not shown) to transition from the setup steps to the operation steps. In addition, or alternatively, the digging operation can be initiated (or triggered) by operation of the arm assembly 46 and/or implement 90 (e.g., initiating rotation of the auger 110 by initiating operation of the auger drive assembly 106, etc.).
Next, the system 200 calculates the position and the orientation of the implement 90 relative to the surface 38 (or ground 38), which occurs at step 216. The position and orientation calculation can include at least one calculation, and as illustrated, a plurality of calculations. The number of calculations depends upon factors such as the number and type of sensors, the type of vehicle, and/or the type of arm assembly 46 (e.g., dual boom arms 50, 54, a single boom arm defined by a plurality of sequential linkages that can extend and/or retract—such as in an excavator or a backhoe, etc.).
As shown in
At step 224, the system calculates an initial position of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10. More specifically, the position of the implement 90 is detected through the implement position sensor assembly. One or more of the cylinder position sensors 130, 134, and/or one or more pin rotation sensors 138 are used to detect a position of the arm assembly 46 relative to the vehicle 10. This position is established as an initial implement position. The arm assembly 46 can be in any suitable position or orientation relative to the vehicle 10 for the initial position, as the system 200 is preprogrammed with the various positions of the arm assembly 46 and associated measurements of the sensors 130, 134, 138. The system 200 then utilizes the implement offset distance entered in step 208, with the initial position of the arm assembly 46, to calculate an initial position of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle (e.g., an initial position of the auger 110 relative to the vehicle 10, an initial position of the auger 110 relative to the ground 34, etc.). It should be appreciated that steps 220-224 can occur concurrently, or can occur in reverse order. In other embodiments, any suitable steps to determine the position of the implement 90 (e.g., the auger 110, etc.) relative to the vehicle 10 to establish an initial position of the implement 90 can be implemented.
At step 228, the system proceeds to begin digging. Digging can begin by the operator moving the arm assembly 46, and as such moving the implement 90 (e.g., the auger 110, etc.) towards the surface 34, eventually contacting the surface 34. Following contact, the implement 90 digs into the surface 34 (or ground 34).
As digging is underway, and the implement 90 is lowered towards the surface 34 (or ground 34), the system proceeds to step 232 and recalculates the position of the implement 90 (e.g., the auger 110, etc.) relative to the vehicle 10. The recalculation of the position of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10 is essentially the same analysis as occurs at step 224.
At step 236, the recalculated position of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10 is analyzed to determine if the target depth D into the surface 34 has been reached. More specifically, the system 200 uses the targeted depth D (entered in step 204) and the offset distance for the implement 90 from the control point entered in step 208 (e.g., the auger length 122, etc.) to calculate a final implement position relative to the vehicle 10 realized when a portion of the implement 90 reaches the targeted depth D into the surface (or targeted depth D of the dig into the surface). It should be appreciated that the portion of the implement 90 that reaches the targeted depth D into the surface can be any portion of the implement 90. For example, any portion of the implement 90 can include the auger tip 114, a lowest portion of a bucket extending into the surface 34 during an excavation digging cycle, or any other suitable portion of the implement 90 that extends into the surface 34 and that is representative of reaching the targeted depth D. The final implement position is the position of the arm assembly 46 and/or the position of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10 associated with reaching the targeted depth D into the surface. The system then compares the recalculated position of the implement relative to the vehicle 10 from step 232 with the final implement position (or the position of the arm assembly 46 (or position of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10) associated with the targeted depth D. If the system determines that the recalculated position of the implement relative to the vehicle 10 from step 232 has not reached the final implement position (the position of the arm assembly 46 or position of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10) associated with the targeted depth D, or determines “no,” the system returns to step 232, the digging process continues, and steps 232-236 repeat. If the system determines that the recalculated position of the implement relative to the vehicle 10 from step 232 has reached the final implement position (the position of the arm assembly 46 or position of the implement 90 relative to the vehicle 10) associated with the targeted depth D, or determines “yes,” the process proceeds to step 240. A determination of “yes” also indicates that the implement 90 (or any portion thereof) has reached the targeted depth D (entered in step 204), meaning the digging operation has achieved the targeted depth without over digging.
Next, at step 240 the system provides notification to the operator that the targeted depth D has been reached. The notification can include an audible sound or notification, a visual notification, and/or any other suitable notification to indicate to the operator that the targeted depth D has been reached. This notification can provide an instruction to the operator to stop the digging process (e.g., terminate operation of the implement 90, terminate operation of the auger 110, etc.).
Further, in some embodiments of the system 200 can automatically control the depth of digging to limit over digging. In these embodiments, digging and the associated steps 212 to 240 occur automatically, or without operator intervention. Stated another way, the digging will occur without operator involvement, and is fully automatic. Once step 240 is achieved, the system 200 can also (or alternatively) terminate operation of the implement 90 (e.g., stop operation of the auger 110, etc.).
In addition, some embodiment of the system 200 can be integrated with the vehicle location sensor 126 (or the GPS receiver 126). The GPS receiver 126 can be used to direct the vehicle 10 to a specific geographic location (or a desired geographic location) in an area of the surface 34 for digging. As such, the operator and/or the system 200 can utilize the GPS receiver 126 to identify a specific geographic location for digging, direct the vehicle to the specific geographic location for digging, and then dig at the specific geographic location.
The vehicle 10 and the associated system 200 disclosed herein has certain advantages. Notably, the system 200 can accurately dig to a targeted (or desired) depth to limit undesirable over digging. Over digging results in lost time involved in backfilling and compacting the dug area with additional material to decrease the depth of the dig. Accordingly, limiting over digging improves digging efficiency and decreases the total time investment during digging by limiting remediation. Various additional features and advantages of the disclosure are set forth herein.
