Patent Application
20250003195
The present disclosure relates generally to a guide link arm assembly and method for a work machine, and more specifically to a guide link arm assembly with an integrated sensor.
With the onset of smart technologies and automation, sensors may be placed in atypical areas of a work machine, such as the boom-arm assembly. Advanced technologies such as grade control, payload weighing, virtual fencing, machine tracking, frequently rely on one or more of these sensors to provide feedback. Current approaches utilize bulky sensor housings welded or bolted onto a respective exterior portion of the boom, arm, or bucket linkage assembly. This configuration proposes challenges in precision placement on the machine, added shearing force exposure from debris, an unsightly appearance, and difficulty retrofitting older pieces of equipment. Because of the longevity of a work machine's useful life, therein lies a need to adapt a boom-arm assemblies with sensors economically and efficiently, for new and older work machines, without comprising strength while optimizing the configuration for precision and function.
A work machine with guide link arm assembly for sensor integration is disclosed. The work machine comprises a frame, a ground-engaging mechanism supporting the frame, and multiple components of a boom-arm assembly. The boom-arm assembly includes a boom pivotally coupled to the frame: a first actuator interconnecting the boom and the frame: a dipper stick pivotally: a second actuator interconnecting the dipper stick and the boom: an implement; and a third actuator interconnecting the implement and the dipper stick. The second actuator is operable to move the dipper stick relative about the pivot axis relative to the boom. The third actuator is operable to move the implement relative to the dipper stick. The work machine further comprises a sensor operable to sense one or more of the implement position and the direction of movement of one or more of the boom, the dipper stick, and the implement. A guide link arm assembly is pivotally coupled to the dipper stick on a first end and pivotally coupled to the implement on a second end. The guide link arm assembly comprises an elongated member having a sensor housing recess defined in part by a base surface and opposed sensor housing recess surfaces extending from the base surface. The sensor housing recess is configured to receive the sensor. The guide link arm assembly further comprises a lip along a portion of the recess wherein the lip supports the cover. The perimeter of the outer surface of the cover of the guide link arm assembly sits at or below an outward facing surface of the elongated member proximal to the cover when coupled to the elongated member. A fastener securing the cover of the guide link arm assembly sits at or below the outermost surface of the elongated member.
The opposed sensor housing recess surfaces of the guide link arm assembly comprises an aperture configured to receive a sensor wiring harness extending from the sensor. The aperture comprises of a first aperture wall, a second aperture wall, and a third aperture wall, wherein the cover provides a fourth aperture wall when coupled to the elongated member. The sensor housing recess is proximal to the pivotal coupling positioned distal from the implement.
The guide link arm assembly further comprises an adapter connected to an outward facing surface of the elongated arm wherein the adapter is configured to couple a wiring harness hose to the elongated member.
The elongated member of the guide link arm assembly further comprises of a boss extending from the base surface within the sensor housing recess wherein the boss is configured to support the sensor. A restricting member is removably coupled to a boss surface of the boss wherein the restricting member secures the sensor when fixedly coupled to the boss surface. The guide link arm assembly may further comprise a guide link arm protrusion extending from an outward facing surface of the elongated member wherein the guide link arm protrusion is configured to engage a resting surface when second actuator and the third actuator are substantially extended, resulting in curling of the boom-arm assembly 120 towards the frame.
A method of producing a guide link arm assembly comprises the following steps. First, the method includes providing a single-piece elongated member with a first pivotal coupling on a first end, and a second pivotal coupling on a second end. The elongated member includes a sensor housing recess defined in part by a base surface and opposed sensor housing recess surfaces extending from the base surface. The sensor housing recess is configured to receive the sensor. The method then includes providing a restricting member removably coupled to the base surface, wherein the restricting member secures the sensor when coupled to the base surface. In a next step, the method includes providing a cover removably coupled to the elongated member for enclosing the sensor in the sensor housing recess. The method then includes securing the cover to the elongated member at a first contact area and a second contact area using fasteners.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present teachings are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the teachings when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the drawings and with specific reference to
The work machine 100 comprises of a frame 135, a ground-engaging mechanism 140 configured to support the frame 135 on a ground surface 145. For the present exemplary embodiment shown as an excavator, the upper portion of the frame 135 is pivotally mounted on an undercarriage with a ground-engaging mechanism 140 by means of a swing pivot 157. The ground-engaging mechanism 140 may comprise of a pair of tracks or wheels for moving along the ground surface 145. The frame 135 may include an operator cab 148 (although not required in cab-less machines operated remotely) with a boom-arm assembly 120 coupled thereto. The boom-arm assembly 120 comprises of a boom 150 pivotally coupled to the frame 135. A first actuator 152 interconnects the boom 150 and the frame 135. The first actuator 152 is operable to move the boom 150 relative to the frame 135. A dipper stick 154 may be pivotally coupled to the boom 150 for rotational movement about a pivot axis 156. A second actuator 158 interconnects the dipper stick 154 and the boom 150. The second actuator 158 is operable to move the dipper stick 154 about the pivot axis 156 relative to the boom 150. An implement 160, shown here as a bucket, is pivotally coupled to the dipper stick 154. A third actuator 162 interconnects the implement 160 and the dipper stick 154 wherein the third actuator 162 is operable to move the implement 160 relative to the dipper stick 154. One or more sensors may sense one of a position and a direction of movement of either the boom 150, the dipper stick 154 and the implement 160. The arrows 170, 172, and 174 identify movement direction of each of the boom, the dipper stick, and the implement, respectively. However, coupling a sensor 164 to the guide link arm assembly 200 provides an absolute measure of movement so as to fine tune movement of the boom-arm assembly 120 through feedback to a controller (not shown). The guide link arm assembly 200 of the disclosed embodiment advantageously improves mounting integrity and orientation of the sensor 164, such as an IMU. An IMU is an electronic device that measures and reports a body's specific force, angular rate, and/or the orientation of the body, using a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or magnetometers. In some embodiments, an IMU works by detecting linear acceleration using one or more accelerometers and rotational rate using one or more gyroscopes. Linear acceleration may be defined along a longitudinal, lateral, and vertical axis (x, y, and z). Rotation rate may be defined along the same three axes and is referred to as roll, pitch and yaw. In one exemplary operation of the work machine operation, sensing movement of the boom-arm assembly 120 using sensor 164 optimizes digging a trench for pipe-laying where uniformity and grade of the ground surface in the trench is critical for proper pipe-laying. Other exemplary work machine operations may require a surface of the implement 160 to maintain contact with the ground surface 145 to achieve the target grade. Furthermore, a periodic calibration of a signal communicated from a sensor 164 coupled to the boom-arm assembly 120 improves precision control by allowing for confirmation and correction of a target position versus the actual position.
Now turning to
The elongated member 206 may further comprise a lip 222 along at least a portion of the sensor housing recess 212 wherein the lip 222 is configured to support the cover 220. The perimeter 224 of the outer surface 226 of the cover 220 preferably sits at or below the outward facing surface 230 of the elongated member 206. The outward facing surface 230 of the elongated member 206 is the surface facing the cover 220 where the cover couples to the elongated member 206. The cover 220 is secured to the elongated member 206 with fasteners 256. A ridge 258 or slope located near the hollowed surface of the elongated member 206, adjacent to the cover 220, advantageously provides a protective feature to reduce shearing forces encountered by the fasteners 256 from debris during operation. Fasteners 256 secure the cover 220 in position with a first contact area 252 and a second contact area 254.
One of the opposed sensor housing recess surfaces 216 further comprises of an aperture 232 configured to receive a sensor wiring harness 234 extending from the sensor 164. The aperture 232 is on an outward facing surface 230 (i.e. a surface facing substantially away from the ground surface 145 or a top surface of the guide link arm assembly 200). Placement of the aperture 232 closer to the first end 202 of the elongated member 206 advantageously reduces the area the sensor wiring harness 234 must extend over and allows the sensor wiring harness 234 to clear the path of movement of the implement 160. The aperture 232 comprises of a first aperture wall 240a, a second aperture wall 240b, and a third aperture wall 240c, wherein the cover 220 provides the fourth aperture wall 242 when connected to the elongated member 206. The sensor housing recess 212 is biased towards the first pivotal coupling 208. The guide link arm assembly 200 further comprises an adapter 246 connected to an outward facing surface of the elongated member 206 wherein the adapter 246 is configured to surround the sensor wiring harness 234 and couple a wiring harness hose 248 to the elongated member 206.
The guide link arm assembly 200 may further comprise a guide link arm protrusion 250 extending from an outward facing surface 230 of the elongated member 206 and proximal to the first end 202, wherein the guide link arm protrusion 250 is configured to engage a resting surface when the second actuator 158, and the third actuator 162 are substantially extended, curling the boom-arm assembly 120 towards the frame 135 (as shown in
Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top.” “bottom,” etc., are used descriptively for the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the disclosure, as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the teachings may be described herein in terms of functional and/or logical block components and/or various processing steps. It should be realized that such block components may be comprised of any number of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions.
Terms of degree, such as “generally”, “substantially” or “approximately” are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of a given value or orientation, for example, general tolerances or positional relationships associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.
As used herein, “e.g.” is utilized to non-exhaustively list examples, and carries the same meaning as alternative illustrative phrases such as “including.” “including, but not limited to,” and “including without limitation.” As used herein, unless otherwise limited or modified, lists with elements that are separated by conjunctive terms (e.g., “and”) and that are also preceded by the phrase “one or more of,” “at least one of.” “at least,” or a like phrase, indicate configurations or arrangements that potentially include individual elements of the list, or any combination thereof. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” and “one or more of A, B, and C” each indicate the possibility of only A, only B, only C, or any combination of two or more of A, B, and C (A and B; A and C; B and C; or A, B, and C). As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Further, “comprises,” “includes,” and like phrases are intended to specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
