Recommending a machine repositioning distance in an excavating operation

• US 20080127529A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Price, Robert J., Koch, Roger D., Alig, Jeffrey S., Stanek, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 37/348
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/435 for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/02 for digging trenches or ditches machines for making foundation slots E02F3/205, E02F3/475 take precedence; agricultural ploughs for working ridges A01B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/145 control and indicating devices
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004

Abstract

A method of assisting an operator of an excavating machine is disclosed. The method includes recommending a hop distance to move the machine based upon the maximum distance the machine can move and still be able to reach the bottom of the excavation that has already been dug by the machine during an excavating operation.

Claims

1. A method of assisting an operator of an excavating machine, comprising:

recommending a hop distance to move the machine based upon the maximum distance the machine can move and still be able to reach the bottom of the excavation that has already been dug by the machine during an excavating operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein recommending a hop distance includes displaying the distance on a display device accessible to the operator.

3. The method of claim 1, including determining the excavating depth relative to a fixed point on the machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine includes a backhoe mechanism including a swing assembly, a boom, a stick, and a bucket, further including retrieving geometry information relative to the backhoe mechanism and entering the geometry information into a control module.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein retrieving geometry information includes retrieving information relative to the type and size of the bucket.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein recommending a hop distance includes calculating the maximum distance the machine may be moved while still permitting the machine to reach the bottom of the excavation that has already been excavated by the machine.

7. The method of claim 1, further including recommending the hop distance based on the type of material being excavated.

8. A system for efficiently excavating a trench requiring a plurality of excavating phases, each from a different machine set-up position, comprising:

an excavating assemblage; and

a control system configured to calculate an efficient permissible distance for machine movement between excavating phases and configured to recommend the efficient permissible distance to a machine operator.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the excavating assemblage includes a backhoe mechanism including a swing assembly, a boom, a stick, and a bucket, and wherein the control system is configured to factor in the type of bucket employed, the type of material excavated, the effective reach of the backhoe mechanism, and the depth of the trench being excavated in calculating the recommended efficient permissible distance.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the stick is an extendable stick, and wherein the control system is configured to factor in additional reach facilitated by the extendable stick in calculating the recommended efficient permissible distance.

11. A machine for excavating a continuous trench during a plurality of excavating phases, each from a different machine set-up position, comprising:

an excavating assemblage including a boom pivoted to the machine, a stick pivoted to the boom, and a bucket pivoted to the stick; and

a control system configured to calculate and recommend to an operator an efficient permissible distance for machine movement between excavating phases of the plurality of excavating phases while still permitting the excavating assemblage to excavate the continuous trench to a desired depth.

12. The machine of claim 11, wherein the boom is pivoted to the rear of the machine, further including:

a front loader assembly mounted at the front of the machine;

a pair of stabilizers mounted on the machine;

an operator station on the machine and including a seat movable to a position facing toward the machine front and movable to a position facing toward the machine rear; and

an input device positioned proximate the operator station.

13. The machine of claim 11, wherein the control system is configured to include the factors of type of material being excavated, dimensions of the bucket being employed, effective reach of the excavating assemblage, and depth of the trench being excavated in calculating the recommended efficient permissible distance.

14. The machine of claim 11, wherein the control system includes a touch screen display configured to enable an operator to initiate calculation of the recommended efficient permissible distance, a control module configured for receiving input signals from the touch screen display and for delivering output signals to the touch screen display, the control module further configured for delivering output signals to:

display the recommended efficient permissible distance on the touch screen display; and

program the machine for moving the recommended efficient permissible distance.

15. A method of recommending a distance for a machine to be moved during an excavating operation comprising:

retrieving geometry information related to the current geometry of the machine;

retrieving depth information regarding the depth of the excavation that is being formed;

determining a recommended distance to move the machine based upon the geometry information and the depth information.

16. The method of claim 15, further including displaying the recommended distance on a display device accessible to an operator.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein retrieving depth information includes determining the excavating depth relative to a fixed point on the machine.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the machine includes a backhoe mechanism including a swing assembly, a boom, a stick, and a bucket, and wherein retrieving geometry information includes entering geometry information relative to the backhoe mechanism into a control module.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein retrieving geometry information includes retrieving information relative to the type and size of the bucket.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein determining a recommended distance includes calculating the maximum distance the machine may be moved while still permitting the machine to reach the bottom of the excavation that has already been excavated by the machine.

21. The method of claim 15, further including retrieving information regarding the type of material being excavated.

22. A method of increasing trenching efficiency, comprising:

determining the effective reach of an excavating assemblage;

determining the trenching depth for a first excavating phase;

initiating a trenching operation including a plurality of machine set-up positions and a plurality of excavating phases for completion of a continuous trench;

employing the excavating assemblage during a first excavating phase to excavate a trench to the depth determined for the first excavating phase;

determining the trenching depth for a second excavating phase that immediately succeeds the first excavating phase;

calculating an efficient permissible distance the machine may be moved while permitting trench excavation by the excavating assemblage during the second excavating phase to the depth determined for the second excavating phase; and

recommending to an operator the calculated efficient permissible distance.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein recommending to the operator the calculated efficient permissible distance includes displaying the distance on a display device located proximate a machine control station.

24. The method of claim 22, further including, terminating the first excavating phase, and before moving the machine for the second excavating phase, initiating an automated machine preparation for repositioning mode for preparing the machine for repositioning for the second excavating phase.

25. The method of claim 22, further including,

initiating a machine repositioning phase;

moving the machine toward a machine set-up position for the second excavating phase;

determining when the machine has moved the calculated efficient permissible distance and reached the set-up position for the second excavating phase; and

stopping the machine under automated machine control at the set-up position for the second excavating phase.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein determining the trenching depth includes determining the trenching depth relative to a fixed point on the machine when the machine is in a set-up position and leveled.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the excavating assemblage includes a backhoe mechanism including a swing assembly, a boom, an extendable stick, and a bucket, and wherein determining the effective reach of the excavating assembly includes factoring in the additional reach permitting by the extendable stick.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein calculating an efficient permissible distance the machine may be moved while permitting trench excavation by the excavating assemblage includes factoring in the type and size of the bucket and the type of material being excavated.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein calculating an efficient permissible distance the machine may be moved while permitting trench excavation by the excavating assemblage includes calculating the maximum permissible distance the machine may be moved while still permitting excavation of the continuous trench by the excavating assemblage.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein calculating an efficient permissible distance the machine may be moved while permitting trench excavation by the excavating assemblage includes calculating the optimum permissible distance the machine may be moved while still permitting excavation of the continuous trench by the excavating assemblage.