Apparatus and method for automatically leveling an object
First Claim
1. Apparatus for leveling a vehicle, comprising:
- a right front leg, a left front leg, a right rear leg, and a left rear leg mounted to the vehicle, each leg being independently adjustable between a stowed position and an extended position wherein the leg engages the ground;
a sensor mounted to the vehicle to sense the pitch and roll of the vehicle relative to a reference level plane, the sensor producing an orientation signal representing the vehicle pitch and roll;
a controller coupled to the legs and the sensor, the controller responding to an operator command to level the vehicle relative to the reference level plane by actuating the legs such that they move from their stowed position to their extended position, interpreting the orientation signal to determine an end and a side of the vehicle which is above the reference level plane, then alternating between adjusting the end and the side downwardly by retracting the legs at the end and retracting the legs at the side, each leg being retracted for a first predetermined period of time during each downward adjustment.
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Abstract
An apparatus for automatically leveling a vehicle is provided. Having a plurality of legs, a sensor and a controller. The sensor is mounted to the vehicle to sense pitch and roll of the vehicle relative to a reference level plane. The sensor produces an orientation signal representing the vehicle pitch and roll. The controller is coupled to each of the legs and to the sensor, and monitors the orientation signal received from the sensor and in response to that signal the controller causes at least one of the legs to retract to move the vehicle downwardly relative to the ground surface, for orienting the vehicle with the reference level plane within a tolerance.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus for leveling a vehicle, comprising:
- a right front leg, a left front leg, a right rear leg, and a left rear leg mounted to the vehicle, each leg being independently adjustable between a stowed position and an extended position wherein the leg engages the ground;
a sensor mounted to the vehicle to sense the pitch and roll of the vehicle relative to a reference level plane, the sensor producing an orientation signal representing the vehicle pitch and roll;
a controller coupled to the legs and the sensor, the controller responding to an operator command to level the vehicle relative to the reference level plane by actuating the legs such that they move from their stowed position to their extended position, interpreting the orientation signal to determine an end and a side of the vehicle which is above the reference level plane, then alternating between adjusting the end and the side downwardly by retracting the legs at the end and retracting the legs at the side, each leg being retracted for a first predetermined period of time during each downward adjustment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- a right front leg, a left front leg, a right rear leg, and a left rear leg mounted to the vehicle, each leg being independently adjustable between a stowed position and an extended position wherein the leg engages the ground;
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8. An apparatus for automatically leveling a vehicle, comprising:
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a plurality of legs each of which is mounted to the vehicle;
wherein each of the legs is movable between a retracted stowed position and an extended use position; and
wherein each of the legs is movable to the retracted stowed position to allow the vehicle to travel and each of the legs is movable to the extended use position to engage a ground surface prior to leveling the vehicle;
a sensor mounted to the vehicle to sense pitch and roll of the vehicle relative to a reference level plane;
wherein the sensor produces an orientation signal representing the vehicle pitch and roll; and
a controller coupled to each of the legs and the sensor;
wherein the controller monitors the orientation signal received from the sensor and in response to that signal the controller causes at least one of the legs to retract to move the vehicle downwardly relative to the ground surface, for orienting the vehicle with the reference level plane within a tolerance. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for automatically leveling a vehicle which provides a plurality of legs which are each attached to the vehicle such that each of the legs is movable between retracted and extended positions, a sensor mounted to the vehicle to sense pitch and roll of the vehicle and which provides an orientation signal representing the pitch and roll, and a controller coupled to the legs and the sensor, the method comprises:
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extending each leg until it engages a ground surface;
comparing the orientation signal produced by the sensor to the reference level plane after all legs have engaged the ground;
determining a high portion of the vehicle, relative to the reference level plane;
retracting at least one of the legs corresponding to that high portion for a determined actuation period; and
determining whether the high portion of the vehicle has moved through the reference level plane after the retraction of the at least one of the legs. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification