REMOTE CONTROLLABLE MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM

• US 20090191034A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Ty-Crop Manufacturing Limited
• Inventors: Teichrob, Gary, Easden, James, McGhee, Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/343,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20090191034A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/373
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 77/00 Machines for lifting and treating soil biocides, pest repellants or attractants, plant growth regulators A01N25/00 - A01N65/00; fertilisers C05; soil-conditioning or soil-stabilising materials C09K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/00 Fertiliser distributors combined with seeders A01C7/06

Abstract

The remote controllable material handling system comprises a material handling device configured to carry particulate matter, which includes one or more operatively coupled actuators, wherein the actuators are configured to transfer the particulate matter carried by the material handling device and are responsive to one or more control signals. The remote controllable material handling system further includes a MHD receiver operatively connected to the material handling device, which is configured to generate the one or more control signals in response to one or more transmission signals originating from a wireless remote transmitter. The wireless remote transmitter is moveable relative to the material handling device, and configured to receive as input one or more operator instructions for generating the one or more transmission signals for transmission to the MHD receiver in response to the one or more operator instructions.

Claims

1. A remote controllable material handling system for particulate matter, said material handling system comprising:

(a) a material handling device (MHD) configured to carry the particulate matter, said material handling device including one or more actuators operatively coupled thereto, said one or more actuators configured to transfer the particulate matter carried by the material handling device, the one or more actuators responsive to one or more control signals;

(b) a MHD receiver operatively connected to the material handling device, said MHD receiver configured to generate the one or more control signals in response to one or more transmission signals; and

(c) a wireless remote transmitter moveable relative to the material handling device, said wireless remote transmitter configured to receive as input one or more operator instructions and generate the one or more transmission signals for transmission to the MHD receiver in response to the one or more operator instructions.

2. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more first sensors operatively coupled to the one or more actuators and the MHD receiver, the one or more first sensors configured to provide one or more first sensor signals indicative of configuration of the material handling device, and wherein the MHD receiver is configured to use at least in part the one or more first sensor signals during generation of the one or more control signals.

3. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first sensor signals is indicative of the configuration of at least one of the actuators.

4. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first sensor signals is indicative of rate of change of configuration of at least one of the actuators.

5. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more second sensors operatively coupled to the MHD receiver, the one or more second sensors configured to provide one or more second sensor signals indicative of conditions of a environment external to the material handling device to the MHD receiver, and wherein the MHD receiver is configured to use at least in part the one or more second sensor signals during generation of the one or more control signals.

6. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the second sensor signals is indicative of a distance between the material handling device and the wireless remote transmitter.

7. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the second sensor signals is indicative of a global position of at least one of the second sensors.

8. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the second sensor signals is indicative of a global position of the wireless remote transmitter.

9. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more actuators are hydraulically operated.

10. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 9, wherein a hydraulic power source is external to the material handling system.

11. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 1, wherein the MHD receiver is configured to detect a loss of operative connection with the wireless remote transmitter, and wherein the MHD receiver is configured to stop operation of the one or more actuators upon loss of operative connection with the wireless remote transmitter.

12. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 1, wherein the MHD receiver is configured to detect a loss of operative connection with the wireless remote transmitter, and wherein the MHD receiver is configured to control operation of the one or more actuators upon loss of operative connection with the wireless remote transmitter, so that the material handling device assumes a predetermined configuration.

13. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 1, wherein the MHD receiver is configured to respond to the wireless remote transmitter only upon authorization of the wireless remote transmitter with the MHD receiver.

14. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 13, wherein the authorization comprises transmission and verification of one or more authorization codes between the MHD receiver and the wireless remote transmitter.

15. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more authorization codes include a first identifier assigned to the MHD receiver and a second identifier assigned to the wireless remote transmitter, and verification includes a comparison of the first identifier with the second identifier in the MHD receiver.

16. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 13, wherein the authorization takes place at a predetermined event.

17. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined event corresponds to activation of the material handling device.

18. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined event corresponds to receipt of each one of the operator instructions via the one or more transmission signals.

19. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless remote transmitter comprises one or more preset configuration instruction sets.

20. The remote controllable material handling system according to claim 1, wherein the MHD receiver comprises one or more present configuration instructions sets.