System and methods for with a first and a second hand operated control, controlling motion on a work tool for a construction machine

• US 10,202,740 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelwrist AB
• Original Assignee: Steelwrist AB
• Inventors: Stockhaus, Stefan, Nilsson, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ronald P
• Application Number:
  US14/900,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20160145832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 414694
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/32 working downwardly and towards the machine, e.g. with backhoes
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3677 allowing movement, e.g. rotation or translation, of the tool around or along another axis as the movement implied by the boom or arms, e.g. for tilting buckets
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3681 Rotators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/435 for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/437 providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2004 Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers control levers per se G05G
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a method for, with a first and a second hand operated control means (11a, 11b), controlling movement on a work tool (5) for a construction machine (1). The construction machine (1) comprises a lower carriage (2), a top (3), a digging arm (4) and a work tool (5). The digging arm (4) comprises an inner link arm (4a) with a first and a second inner link arm end (4a1, 4a2) and an outer link arm (4b) with a first and a second outer link arm end (4b1, 4b2). The work tool (5) is secured in the second outer link arm end (4b2) via an attachment device (6) which enables controlled rotation and controlled tilting of the work tool (5) in relation to the outer link arm (4b). The system is characterized in that the first hand operated control means (11a) is intended to control the position of the second outer link arm end (4b2) and the second hand operated control means (11b) is intended to control the function of the tool (5), comprising controlled rotation and controlled tilting of the work tool (5) in relation to the outer link arm (4b).

Claims

1. A system for, with a first and a second hand operated controller, controlling movement on a work tool for a construction machine, the second controller being separate from the first controller, wherein the first hand of a driver is used to control the first hand operated controller and the second hand of a driver is used to control the second hand operated controller, the construction machine comprising a lower carriage, a top, a digging arm and the work tool,

wherein the digging arm comprises an inner link arm with a first and a second inner link arm end and an outer link arm with a first and a second outer link arm end,

wherein one joint connects the top with the first inner link arm end, one joint connects the second inner link arm end with the first outer link arm end and one joint connects the second outer link arm end with the work tool,

and wherein the work tool is secured in the second outer link arm end via an attachment device which enables controlled rotation and controlled tilting of the work tool in relation to the outer link arm;

wherein

the first hand operated controller is configured to control the spatial position of the second outer link arm end, at least through control of the movements of the inner link arm and the outer link arm relative to each other as well as the rotation of the entire digging arm in relation to the top, and through rotation of the entire top including the arm in relation to the lower carriage, and

the second hand operated controller is configured to control the function of the work tool, comprising controlled rotation and controlled tilting of the work tool in relation to the outer link arm,

wherein the first hand operated controller is configured to control the spatial position of the second outer link arm end by moving the second outer link arm end away from and towards the driver, to the left and to the right, and upwards and downwards.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein actuators are adapted to, via control devices, control the relative movement between the attachment device and the outer link arm, the outer link arm and the inner link arm and between the inner link arm and the top.

3. The system according to claim 2, comprising a control system which converts the movements of the first and the second controller to signals which activate, deactivate and control the control devices which control the movements of the first and second link arms and which activate, deactivate and control the control devices arranged in the attachment device which control the movement of the work tool.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the control system is adapted to control a velocity of the relative movement between the different moveable link arm parts via the control devices controlling at least one of power supply, pressure or flow in the different actuators and to the attachment device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the attachment device is a tiltrotator and comprises a rotor member configured to control the rotation of the work tool about a first attachment device axis and tilting device configured to control the tilting of the work tool about a second attachment device axis substantially perpendicular to the first attachment device axis.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is provided in the attachment device which measures at least one of the relative position between the separate parts of the attachment device or the force that acts upon the control devices which are provided interconnected with the attachment device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second controller are operative to tilt in a movement parallel to at least a first and a second controller axis which are substantially perpendicular to each other and rotate about a third controller axis which is substantially perpendicular to the first and the second controller axis.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the first and the second controller is possible to adjust vertically along the third controller axis which is a substantially vertical axis.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second controller is a touch screen.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first hand operated controller is configured to control the spatial position of the second outer link arm end along three different axes of movement.

11. A method for, with a first and a second hand operated controller, the second controller being separate from the first controller, wherein the first hand of a driver is used to control the first hand operated controller and the second hand of a driver is used to control the second hand operated controller, controlling a movement on a work tool for a construction machine, the construction machine comprising a lower carriage, a top, a digging arm and the work tool,

wherein the digging arm comprises an inner link arm with a first and a second inner link arm end and an outer link arm with a first and a second outer link arm end,

wherein one joint connects the top with the first inner link arm end, one joint connects the second inner link arm end with the first outer link arm end and one joint connects the second outer link arm end with the work tool,

and wherein the work tool is secured in the second outer link arm end via an attachment device which enables controlled rotation and controlled tilting of the work tool in relation to the outer link arm;

wherein the method comprises the steps of;

with the first hand operated controller controlling the spatial position of the second outer link arm end, at least through control of the movements of the inner link arm and the outer link arm relative to each other as well as the rotation of the entire digging arm in relation to the top, and through rotation of the entire top including the arm in relation to the lower carriage, and

with the second hand operated controller controlling the function of the work tool, comprising controlled rotation and controlled tilting of the work tool in relation to the outer link arm,

wherein controlling the spatial position of the second outer link arm end comprises controlling the spatial position of the second outer link arm end by moving the second outer link arm end away from and towards the driver, to the left and to the right, and upwards and downwards.

12. The method according to claim 11 comprising the step of:

with a control system converting the movements of the first and the second controller into control signals which activate, deactivate and control control devices which control the movements of the first and the second link arm and the work tool.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein controlling the spatial position of the second outer link arm end comprises controlling the spatial position of the second outer link arm end over three different axes of movement.

14. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling a movement on a work tool for a construction machine having a first and a second hand operated controller, the second controller being separate from the first controller, wherein the first hand of a driver is used to control the first hand operated controller and the second hand of a driver is used to control the second hand operated controller, the construction machine comprising a lower carriage, a top, a digging arm and the work tool, wherein the digging arm comprises an inner link arm with a first and a second inner link arm end and an outer link arm with a first and a second outer link arm end, wherein one joint connects the top with the first inner link arm end, one joint connects the second inner link arm end with the first outer link arm end and one joint connects the second outer link arm end with the work tool, and wherein the work tool is secured in the second outer link arm end via an attachment device which enables controlled rotation and controlled tilting of the work tool in relation to the outer link arm, wherein when executed on a computer causes the computer to control rotation and control tilting of the work tool in relation to the outer link arm with the first hand operated controller controlling the spatial position of the second outer link arm end, at least through control of the movements of the inner link arm and the outer link arm relative to each other as well as the rotation of the entire digging arm in relation to the top, and through rotation of the entire top including the arm in relation to the lower carriage, and with the second hand operated controller controlling the function of the tool, wherein controlling the spatial position of the second outer link arm end comprises controlling the spatial position of the second outer link arm end by moving the second outer link arm end away from and towards the driver, to the left and to the right, and upwards and downwards.