METHOD OF CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF AN INTELLIGENT BOOM

• US 20190330820A1
• Filed: 04/25/2018
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Bellows, Tyler D., Raszga, Calin L., Rober, Daryl I.
• Granted Patent: US 10,844,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 23/08 Felling trees
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 23/081 Feller-bunchers, i.e. with bunching by felling head A01G23/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/40 Applications of devices for transmitting control pulses; Applications of remote control devices control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/48 Automatic control of crane drives for producing a single or repeated working cycle; Programme control
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3414 the arms being pivoted at the rear of the vehicle chassis, e.g. skid steer loader
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/436 for keeping the dipper in the horizontal position, e.g. self-levelling
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/437 providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2004 Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers control levers per se G05G
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)

Abstract

A work vehicle includes a pin connected to a stick boom at a location remote from a hoist boom. The pin has an envelope throughout which the pin is moveable by the hoist boom and the stick boom. A controller can receive a first signal from a hoist boom sensor, receive a second signal from a stick boom sensor, and receive input from a user interface. The controller can inhibit movement of the pin to at least one portion of the envelope, thereby permitting movement throughout a movement envelope, the movement envelope being smaller than the envelope. The controller can operate in a first operation mode when the pin is spaced from a perimeter of the movement envelope and can operate in a second operation mode when the pin is proximate the perimeter of the movement envelope.

Claims

1. A work machine comprising:

a frame;

a user interface;

a boom assembly coupled to the frame and including

a hoist boom pivotally connected to the frame and moveable relative to the frame by a hoist actuator, a hoist boom position sensor connected to the hoist boom,

a stick boom pivotally connected to the hoist boom and moveable relative to the hoist boom by a stick actuator, a stick boom position sensor connected to the stick boom, and

a pin coupled to the stick boom at a location remote from the hoist boom, the pin having an envelope throughout which the pin is moveable by the hoist boom and the stick boom;

a controller configured to receive a first signal from the hoist boom sensor, receive a second signal from the stick boom sensor, and receive input from the user interface, the controller further configured to inhibit movement of the pin to at least one portion of the envelope, thereby permitting movement throughout a movement envelope, the movement envelope being smaller than the envelope,

the controller being operable in a first operation mode and a second operation mode, the controller being configured to communicate a third signal to the hoist actuator and a fourth signal to the stick actuator, the third signal and fourth signal based upon the first signal from the hoist boom position sensor, the second signal from the stick boom position sensor, the input from the user interface, and the mode of operation,

wherein the controller operates in the first operation mode in response to the first signal indicating to the controller that the hoist boom is positioned between a first hoist end location and a second hoist end location, and in response to the second signal indicating to the controller that the stick boom is positioned between a first stick end location and a second stick end location, and

wherein the controller operates in the second operation mode in response to the first signal indicating to the controller that the hoist boom is not positioned between the first hoist end location and the second hoist end location, or in response to the second signal indicating to the controller that the stick boom is not positioned between the first stick end location and the second stick end location.

2. The work machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate in the second mode of operation in response to the first signal indicating to the controller that the hoist boom is positioned either between the first hoist end location and a third hoist end location or between the second hoist end location and a fourth hoist end location, and

wherein a distance between the first hoist end location and the second hoist end location is less than a distance between the third hoist end location and the fourth hoist end location.

3. The work machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate in the second mode of operation in response to the second signal indicating to the controller that the stick boom is positioned either between the first stick end location and a third stick end location or between the second stick end location and a fourth stick end location, and

wherein a distance between the first stick end location and the second stick end location is less than a distance between the third stick end location and the fourth stick end location.

4. The work machine of claim 1, wherein the second operation mode includes moving the pin along a perimeter of the movement envelope.

5. The work machine of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine a direction and duration of movement of both the stick cylinder and the hoist cylinder in response to input from the user interface and wherein the controller is configured to direct the pin along the perimeter of the movement envelope.

6. The work machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to change from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation when the first signal indicates to the controller that the hoist boom is positioned between the first hoist end location and the second hoist end location.

7. The work machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to change from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation when the second signal indicates to the controller that the stick boom is positioned between the first stick end location and the second stick end location.

8. The work machine of claim 1, further comprising pump, a hoist valve positioned fluidly between the pump and the hoist actuator, and a stick valve positioned fluidly between the pump and the stick actuator.

9. The work machine of claim 8, wherein the hoist valve is configured to close in response to the first signal indicating to the controller that the hoist boom is not positioned between the first hoist end location and the second hoist end location.

10. The work machine of claim 9, wherein the hoist valve is configured to open in response to the first signal indicating to the controller that the hoist boom is positioned between the first hoist end location and the second hoist end location for a pre-determined time period.

11. The work machine of claim 8, wherein the stick valve is configured to close in response to the second signal indicating to the controller that the stick boom is not positioned between the first stick end location and the second stick end location.

12. The work machine of claim 11, wherein the stick valve is configured to open in response to the second signal indicating to the controller that the stick boom is positioned between the first stick end location and the second stick end location for a pre-determined time period.

13. The work machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to inhibit movement of the pin to a plurality of locations within the envelope, the plurality of locations all positioned adjacent to the perimeter of the envelope.

14. A method of controlling movement of a pin within a movement envelope of a work vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing a position of a hoist cylinder with a hoist cylinder position sensor;

receiving the sensed position of the hoist cylinder;

opening a hoist valve in response to the sensed position of the hoist cylinder being between a first hoist end position and a second hoist end position;

moving the hoist cylinder while the hoist valve is open and in response to input from a user interface;

closing the hoist valve in response to the sensed position of the hoist cylinder not being between the first hoist end position and the second hoist end position;

in response to input from the user interface and the hoist valve being closed, sending a signal to the hoist cylinder to inhibit movement of the hoist cylinder;

sensing a position of a stick cylinder with a stick cylinder position sensor;

receiving the sensed position of the stick cylinder with the controller;

opening a stick valve with the controller when the sensed position of the stick cylinder is between a first stick end position and a second stick end position;

moving the stick cylinder in response to input from the user interface when the stick valve is open;

closing the stick valve with the controller when the sensed position of the stick cylinder is not between the first stick end position and the second stick end position;

inhibiting travel along a portion of the perimeter of a stick-pin envelope with the controller; and

permitting travel along a movement portion of the stick-pin envelope.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in a first mode when the sensed position of the hoist cylinder is between the first hoist end position and the second hoist end position and when the sensed position of the stick cylinder is between the first stick end position and the second stick end position.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in a second mode when the sensed position of the hoist cylinder is between either the first hoist end position and a third hoist end position or between the second hoist end position and a fourth hoist end position.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in the second mode includes determining a direction and duration of movement of both the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in response to input from the user interface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in the second mode includes moving the pin along a perimeter of the movement portion stick-pin envelope.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in a first mode when the sensed position of the hoist cylinder is between the first hoist end position and the second hoist end position for a pre-determined time period.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in a second mode when the sensed position of the stick cylinder is either between the first stick end position and a third stick end position, or between the second stick end position and a fourth stick end position.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in the second mode includes determining a direction and duration of movement of both the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in response to input from the user interface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in the second mode includes moving the pin along a perimeter of the movement portion stick-pin envelope.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising operating the hoist cylinder and the stick cylinder in a first mode when the sensed position of the stick cylinder is between the first stick end position and the second stick end position for a pre-determined time period.