ARRANGEMENT FOR OPTIMIZING LOAD POSITION IN RELATION TO TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE

• US 20170313230A1
• Filed: 04/28/2016
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakkatec Oy
• Original Assignee: Rakkatec Oy
• Inventors: Valtanen, Jarkko
• Granted Patent: US 10,414,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/00 Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading vehicles for carrying harvested crops with means for self-loading or self-unloading A01D90/00; peculiar to refuse collecting-vehicles B65F; loading or unloading vehicles by means not incorporated therein B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/04 with a tipping movement of load-transporting element dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/045 Levelling or stabilising systems for tippers suspensions with levelling or stabilising means for vehicles in general B60G17/00, B60G21/00, using ground-engaging vehicle fittings B60S9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/24 using the weight of the load
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/28 Tipping body constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/30 in combination with another movement of the element
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/32 the other movement being lateral displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/34 the other movement being raising or lowering
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/4471 General means for controlling movements of the loading platform, e.g. hydraulic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/483 using pivoted arms shifting the load-transporting element in a fore or aft direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/486 using pivoted arms shifting the load-transporting element in a crosswise direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6427 the load-transporting element being shifted horizontally in a fore and aft direction, combined or not with a vertical displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6436 the load-transporting element being shifted horizontally in a crosswise direction, combined or not with a vertical displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/6454 the load transporting element being shifted by means of an inclined ramp connected to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/00 Superstructures for load-carrying vehicles having impact absorbing means B62D21/15; in which a load-carrying element is movable B60P; liners B60R13/00 ; joining sheets or plates to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them F16B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/04 by means of movable masses

Abstract

A method and an arrangement for optimizing load position in relation to a transportation vehicle, comprising a platform arranged to the transportation vehicle for receiving a load; an actuating device for moving the platform in relation to the transportation vehicle; a sensing device configured to generate a vehicle sensing signal and/or a non-vehicle sensing signal; a controlling device configured to receive at least one of the vehicle sensing signal and the non-vehicle sensing signal; generate controlling commands based on the received at least one of the vehicle sensing signal and the non-vehicle sensing signal; and transmit the controlling commands to the actuating device; wherein the actuating device is configured to receive the controlling commands and to move the platform in relation to the transportation vehicle based on the controlling commands.

Claims

1. An arrangement for optimizing load position in relation to a transportation vehicle, comprising:

a platform arranged to the transportation vehicle for receiving a load;

an actuating device for moving the platform in relation to the transportation vehicle;

a sensing device configured to generate a vehicle sensing signal and/or a non-vehicle sensing signal;

a controlling device configured to;

receive at least one of the vehicle sensing signal and the non-vehicle sensing signal;

generate controlling commands based on the received at least one of the vehicle sensing signal and the non-vehicle sensing signal; and

transmit the controlling commands to the actuating device;

wherein the actuating device is configured to receive the controlling commands and to move the platform in relation to the transportation vehicle based on the controlling commands.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the vehicle sensing signal comprises at least one of the following:

rotating speed information of at least one wheel of the transportation vehicle;

angular information of at least one arm for mounting a wheel of the transportation vehicle;

tyre pressure information of at least one wheel of the transportation vehicle;

inclination information of at least one wheel of the transportation vehicle or the transportation vehicle; and

location of a center of gravity of the transportation vehicle and the platform.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the controlling commands are configured to control moving the platform in relation to the vehicle so that the center of gravity is kept within a certain area or to balance or manage weight distribution between different portions of the vehicle.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the controlling commands are configured to control moving the platform towards a rear portion of the vehicle in response to detecting deceleration of the vehicle based on the vehicle sensing signal.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the controlling commands are configured to control moving the platform towards a front portion of the vehicle in response to detecting acceleration of the vehicle based on the vehicle sensing signal.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprising pressure or weight sensing device for determining pressure or weight difference or distribution between at least on two points of the arrangement or the vehicle, whereupon the sensing device is configured to determine location of the center of gravity of the arrangement or the vehicle based on the pressure or weight difference, or the distribution.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensing device for generating the vehicle sensing signal comprising at least one of the following:

an accelerometer;

an inclinometer;

a vehicle tyre pressure sensor;

a pressure or weight sensing sensor;

an angular velocity sensor; and

a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) device.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sensing device for generating the non-vehicle sensing signal comprising at least one of the following:

a geomagnetic field sensor;

a transceiver for receiving weather information and/or topography information;

a camera;

an IR-scanner;

an ultrasound scanner;

a user input device to receive and generate control information generated in response to driver input;

a light detection and ranging (Lidar) device; and

a radar.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the non-vehicle sensing signal comprises at least one of the following:

terrain information relating to current position of the vehicle;

terrain information relating to a path in a heading of the vehicle;

terrain information around the vehicle;

control information generated in response to driver input;

location information of an object;

weather information; and

topographic information.

10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the terrain information comprising geometry of the path in the heading of the vehicle, and the actuating device is configured to initiate the moving of the platform based on geometry changes on the path.

11. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the actuating device is configured to perform at least one of the following:

move the platform in a XY-plane, Z-direction being essentially perpendicular to the XY-plane;

tilt or bank the platform in relation to at least one of the X, Y and Z axes; and

rotate the platform around a point locating in the XY-plane.

12. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the actuating device comprising at least one of the following:

a hydraulically or pneumatically operated cylinder, an electric motor, a magnetic motor, a threaded rod, a push bar, and a chain.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein a first end of the actuating device is configured to be operationally coupled with the platform and another end is configured to be operationally coupled with the vehicle, either directly or via an accessory device, and further wherein length, angle or position of the actuating device is configured to be adjusted based on the controlling commands.

14. A transportation vehicle, comprising an arrangement of claim 1.

15. The transportation vehicle of claim 14, further comprising at least one moving device for moving the vehicle, each of the moving devices being coupled with the vehicle via a mounting, where the mounting is configured to adjust height or distance of the moving devices in relation to the vehicle.

16. A method for optimizing load position in relation to a transportation vehicle, wherein the transportation vehicle comprises a platform for receiving a load, and an actuating device for moving the platform in relation to the transportation vehicle, the method comprising:

generating a vehicle sensing signal and/or a non-vehicle sensing signal by a sensing device;

generating controlling commands based on at least one of the vehicle sensing signal and the non-vehicle sensing signal by a controlling device; and

moving the platform in relation to the transportation vehicle based on the controlling commands by the actuating device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving external control information by a controlling device; and

generating controlling commands using the external control information.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating controlling commands based on the external control information, and the at least one of the vehicle sensing signal and the non-vehicle sensing signal by a controlling device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the external control information is received from at least one of the following:

another transportation vehicle;

a user device; and

a cloud server.

20. A computer program embodied on a computer readable non-transitory medium comprising computer executable program code, which code, when executed by at least one processor of an apparatus, causes the apparatus to:

generate a vehicle sensing signal and/or a non-vehicle sensing signal by a sensing device;

generate controlling commands based on at least one of the vehicle sensing signal and the non-vehicle sensing signal by a controlling device; and

move the platform in relation to the transportation vehicle based on the controlling commands by the actuating device, for optimizing load position in relation to a transportation vehicle, wherein the transportation vehicle comprises a platform for receiving a load, and the actuating device for moving the platform in relation to the transportation vehicle.