Work vehicle stabilizer

• US 20050082809A1
• Filed: 10/20/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Case, LLC (Chenega Corporation)
• Inventors: Dix, Peter J., Heyne, Dennis J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,114,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/764.100
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/085 Ground-engaging fitting for supporting the machines while working, e.g. outriggers, legs for vehicles in general B60S9/00, for cranes B66C23/78
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2203 Arrangements for controlling the attitude of actuators, e.g. speed, floating function

Abstract

A system for automatically moving a stabilizer of a work vehicle is disclosed. A joystick is connected to an electronic controller, which in turn, is connected to valve drivers to drive stabilizer raising and lowering valves. In one mode of operation, the controller is programmed to move the stabilizers up or down at a rate that is proportional to the deflection of the joystick from a neutral position. If the operator holds the joystick in a certain position or range of positions, the controller enters a second mode in which it automatically raises the stabilizers even if the joystick is released. The stabilizer can be placed in a third mode of operation by moving the joystick rapidly back and forth. When the operator does this, the controller is configured to reduce the ramp rate or damping of its response to joystick movement.

Claims

1. A system for automatically raising a stabilizer of a work vehicle, comprising:

a proportional control operator input device configured to signal both a plurality of upward stabilizer raising rates and a plurality of stabilizer lowering rates;

at least one electronic controller configured to receive a signal indicating a commanded raising rate and a commanded lowering rate from the input device; and

at least one hydraulic valve coupled to the controller to raise and lower the stabilizer in response to rate signals received from the controller;

wherein the controller has a first mode of operation in which it signals the at least one valve to raise and lower the stabilizer proportionate to the position of the input device, and further wherein the controller has a second mode of operation in which it automatically raises the stabilizer to a predetermined higher up position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to change from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation based at least upon the operator'"'"'s positioning of the input device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to change from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation based at least upon a period of time the input device is in at least one position of a range of positions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to exit the second mode of operation when the stabilizer reaches the predetermined higher up position.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined higher up position is indicated by a hydraulic pressure spike.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to monitor a sensor responsive to the hydraulic pressure spike.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to leave the second mode of operation at least after a predetermined period of time by closing the at least one valve.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to leave the second mode of operation at least when the operator does not release the input device.

9. A system for automatically raising a stabilizer of a work vehicle, comprising:

an input device configured to generate signals indicating a plurality of stabilizer rates of movement;

an electronic controller configured to receive the signals from the input device and generate corresponding valve signals; and

at least one hydraulic valve coupled to the controller to move the stabilizer in response to the valve signals;

wherein the controller has a first mode of operation in which it configured to signal the at least one hydraulic valve to raise and lower the stabilizer proportionate to the input device position, and further wherein the controller has a second mode of operation in which it automatically raises the stabilizer to a predetermined upper position.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to change from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation based at least upon the operator'"'"'s positioning of the input device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to change from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation based upon a period of time the input device is in any of several positions in a predetermined continuous range of positions, each of the several positions generating a different signal from the input device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to exit the second mode of operation when the stabilizer reaches the predetermined upper position.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller determines the predetermined upper position by sensing a hydraulic pressure spike.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to monitor a sensor responsive to the hydraulic pressure spike.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to leave the second mode of operation at least after a predetermined period of time by closing the at least one valve.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to leave the second mode of operation at least when the operator does not release the input device.

17. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a second input device configured to generate second signals indicating a plurality of stabilizer rates of movement for a second stabilizer;

wherein the controller is configured to receive the second signals from the second input device and generate corresponding second valve signals; and

at least a second hydraulic valve coupled to the controller to move the second stabilizer in response to the second valve signals;

wherein the controller is further configured to control the stabilizer and the second stabilizer independently of one another in both the first and second modes of operation.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to damp stabilizer movement in the first mode of operation, and further wherein the controller is configured to enter a third, less damped, proportional control mode of operation.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to enter the third mode when an operator oscillates the input device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to enter the third mode based at least on sensing a predetermined number of oscillations of the input device.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein the first movement includes (a) moving the operator input device above a first threshold position, and (b) moving the operator input device below a second threshold position.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the operator input device has a central position, and further wherein one of the first and second threshold positions is on one side of the central position and the other of the first and second threshold position is on the other side of the central position.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the operator input device is a joystick configured to generate joystick signals generally proportional to the positions of the joystick.

21. A system for automatically moving a stabilizer of a work vehicle, comprising:

an operator manipulable input device configured to generate signals indicating a plurality of stabilizer rates of movement;

an electronic controller configured to receive the signals from the input device and generate corresponding valve signals; and

at least one hydraulic valve coupled to the controller to move the stabilizer in response to the valve signals;

wherein the controller has a first mode of operation in which it is configured to signal the at least one hydraulic valve to raise and lower the stabilizer proportionate to the input device position at at least a first ramp rate, and further wherein the controller has a second mode of operation in which it raises and lowers the stabilizer proportionate to the input device position at at least a second ramp rate different from the first ramp rate.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to automatically switch from the first ramp rate to the second ramp rate based at least upon a first movement of the operator input device.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to automatically switch from the second ramp rate to the first ramp rate based at least upon a second movement of the operator input device being of a magnitude than the magnitude of the first movement.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to change from the first to the second ramp rate when the operator moves the operator input device back and forth.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to change from the first to the second ramp rate when the operator moves the operator input device back and forth at least once within a predetermined time interval.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein each movement of the operator input device must take no more than 800 milliseconds.

30. A method of shaking a stabilizer controlled by a joystick, including the steps of:

moving the joystick rapidly back and forth;

electronically monitoring the rapid joystick back-and-forth movement; and

reducing a stabilizer damping rate responsive to the monitored back and forth movement.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of electronically monitoring includes a step of determining a number of back-and-forth joystick movements.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of electronically monitoring includes a step of determining an elapsed time of the back and forth movements.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of electronically monitoring includes a step of determining a magnitude of the back and forth movements.