Mobile Working Machine with a Control Device, Comprising a Working Arm and Methods for Controlling the Operating Point of a Working Arm of a Mobile Working Machine

• US 20120201640A1
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Jessen, Soenke, Klein, Steffen
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/694
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/434 providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. automatic dumping or loading, automatic return-to-dig
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/437 providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2037 Coordinating the movements of the implement and of the frame
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2203 Arrangements for controlling the attitude of actuators, e.g. speed, floating function
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a mobile working machine with a control device, comprising a working arm, and methods for controlling the operating point of a working arm of a mobile working machine. According to the disclosure, the mobile working machine with the control device, comprising a working arm, has a working arm, a first end of which is hinged to a superstructure of the working machine. A tool is movably arranged on a second end of the working arm at an operating point. At least one first inclination sensor lies on the superstructure and at least one second inclination sensor lies on the working arm. In addition, at least one hydraulic cylinder is provided for changing the position of the operating point, said cylinder being hinged between the superstructure and the working arm. Furthermore, a control unit for processing signals from the at least two inclination sensors is provided to determine an operating point as a reference operating point and to ascertain a position change of the operating point by calculating a cylinder stroke on the basis of a volume flow into or out of the hydraulic cylinder.

Claims

1. A mobile working machine comprising:

a control device including a working arm which is arranged in an articulated fashion with a first end on a superstructure of the working machine;

a tool which is arranged at a second end of the working arm so as to be capable of moving about an operating point;

at least one first inclination sensor which is arranged on the superstructure;

at least one second inclination sensor which is arranged on the working arm;

at least one hydraulic cylinder which is arranged in an articulated fashion between the superstructure and the working arm in order to change the operating point; and

a control unit for processing the signals of the at least two inclination sensors for determining a first operating point as a reference operating point and for determining a change in position of the operating point by calculating a cylinder travel on the basis of a volume flow into or out of the hydraulic cylinder at a second operating point for a limited time interval.

2. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working arm has a number of segments which are connected to one another in an articulated fashion.

3. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the superstructure is mounted so as to be rotatable with respect to a chassis, and

a means of sensing the rotational angle in order to determine the operating point is provided.

4. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inclination sensors have pendulum bodies, refractive liquid levels, micromechanical or conductor metric or capacitively acting structures.

5. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile working machine is embodied as an excavator, as a tractor with a front loader, as a telescopic loader, as a backhoe loader, as a wheel loader, as a forestry machine, as a communal working machine, as an agricultural machine or as a loading crane.

6. A method for controlling the operating point of a working arm of a mobile working machine comprising:

measuring angles of inclination of the superstructure and of a working arm which is arranged in an articulated fashion with a first end on the superstructure, by means of inclination sensors;

calculating a first reference position of the operating point at a second end, bearing a tool, of the working arm taking into account the measurement results of the measured angles of inclination;

changing a position of the operating point into a predefined setpoint position by means of a hydraulic volume flow during a limited time interval into or out of a hydraulic cylinder which is arranged in an articulated fashion between the superstructure and the working arm;

checking the changed working position while determining an actual position by the inclination sensors; and

reducing a difference between the setpoint position and the actual position.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the effective piston area and the time period during the change in position of the operating point are taken into account for the calculation of the change in position of the operating point.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

at first a rotational angle between the superstructure and a chassis of the working machine is sensed, and

after a change in position of the working position a changed rotational angle is taken into account in the calculation of the amended working position.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the working arm is composed of a plurality of segments which are connected to one another in an articulated fashion, and

an inclination sensor is arranged on each segment, and the volume flow of at least one associated further hydraulic cylinder is taken into account in the change in the operating point.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein error deviations for changed working positions are stored in the computing unit and are taken into account in the method step c).

11. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein safety positions for operating points are sensed and stored by means of a teaching method for critical operating points.

12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein constant changes in position are sensed and stored by means of a teaching method.

13. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the measurement of the actual position is carried out by means of the inclination sensors in a position of rest of the mobile working machine and of the working arm.