Sensor feedback control for automated bucket loading
First Claim
1. A tactile control system for automated bucket loading of a front shovel loader having at least one hydraulic cylinder for use in imparting a tilting motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to tilt said bucket according to a tilting trajectory when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said system comprising:
- pressure sensing means for sensing hydraulic pressure on each side of the piston within the hydraulic cylinder;
extension sensing means for sensing the extension of the shaft; and
a computer responsive to output signals of said pressure sensing means and said extension sensing means, said computer controlling valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder and adjust said pressure in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation, thereby also controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Automated bucking loading is achieved through the use of sensor feedback provided by pressure and extension sensors on hydraulic cylinder(s) to control the trajectory of the bucket to be loaded by a computer algorithm. Additional sensors may be used to provide further control of the loading cycle and of the vehicle operation. The structure and steps can be integrated with existing machinery or used on new loaders equipped with suitable control interfaces capable of taking computerized control of the vehicle'"'"'s actions.
63 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A tactile control system for automated bucket loading of a front shovel loader having at least one hydraulic cylinder for use in imparting a tilting motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to tilt said bucket according to a tilting trajectory when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said system comprising:
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pressure sensing means for sensing hydraulic pressure on each side of the piston within the hydraulic cylinder; extension sensing means for sensing the extension of the shaft; and a computer responsive to output signals of said pressure sensing means and said extension sensing means, said computer controlling valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder and adjust said pressure in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation, thereby also controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A tactile control system for automated bucket loading of a loader having at least one hydraulic cylinder for imparting a motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to move said bucket when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said system comprising:
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pressure sensing means for sensing hydraulic pressure on each side of the piston within the hydraulic cylinder; extension sensing means for sensing the extension of the shaft; and a computer responsive to output signals of said pressure sensing means and said extension sensing means, said computer controlling valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder and adjust said pressure in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation, thereby also controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces, wherein the loader has front wheels mounted on an axle, said system comprising axle load sensing means, and the computer also being responsive to output signals from said axle load sensing means to control the valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within the cylinder and adjust said pressure in response to the load exerted on the axle. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A tactile control system for automated bucket loading of a loader having at least one hydraulic cylinder for imparting a tilting motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to tilt said bucket according to a tilting trajectory when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said system comprising:
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pressure sensing means for sensing hydraulic pressure on each side of the piston within the hydraulic cylinder; extension sensing means for sensing the extension of the shaft; and a computer responsive to output signals of said pressure sensing means and said extension sensing means, said computer controlling valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder and adjust said pressure in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation, thereby also controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces, further comprising RPM sensing means on the loader'"'"'s engine, and the computer being responsive to output signals of said engine RPM sensing means to maintain said RPM within a predetermined range, thereby limiting abuse on transmission, axle and drive train of the loader.
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12. A tactile control system for automated bucket loading of a loader having at least one hydraulic cylinder for imparting a tilting motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to tilt said bucket according to a tilting trajectory when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said system comprising:
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pressure sensing means for sensing hydraulic pressure on each side of the piston within the hydraulic cylinder; extension sensing means for sensing the extension of the shaft; and a computer responsive to output signals of said pressure sensing means and said extension sensing means, said computer controlling valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder and adjust said pressure in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation, thereby also controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces, wherein the loader has a hydraulic steering cylinder, said system further comprising extension sensing means of said steering cylinder, and the computer also being responsive to output signals from said extension sensing means of said steering cylinder to maintain the loader substantially straight during the loading operation.
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13. A tactile control system for automated bucket loading of a loader having at least one hydraulic cylinder for imparting a tilting motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to tilt said bucket according to a tilting trajectory when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said system comprising:
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pressure sensing means for sensing hydraulic pressure on each side of the piston within the hydraulic cylinder; extension sensing means for sensing the extension of the shaft; and a computer responsive to output signals of said pressure sensing means and said extension sensing means, said computer controlling valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder and adjust said pressure in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation, thereby also controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces, further comprising a loader position sensing system with reference to a predetermined target and the computer being responsive to output signals from said position sensing system to control the position of the loader with reference to said target. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A tactile control system for automated bucket loading of a loader having at least one hydraulic cylinder for imparting a tilting motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to tilt said bucket according to a tilting trajectory when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said system comprising:
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pressure sensing means for sensing hydraulic pressure on each side of the piston within the hydraulic cylinder; extension sensing means for sensing the extension of the shaft; and a computer responsive to output signals of said pressure sensing means and said extension sensing means, said computer controlling valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder and adjust said pressure in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation, thereby also controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces, further comprising temperature sensing means for hydraulic fluid used within the system, and the computer also being responsive to output signals from said temperature sensing means to maintain said temperature within predetermined limits.
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16. A method for a tactile control of an automated bucket loading operation used in a front shovel loader which has at least one hydraulic cylinder for imparting a tilting motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to tilt said bucket according to a tilting trajectory when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing the hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic cylinder on each side of the piston during the loading operation; sensing the extension of the shaft during the loading operation; converting output analog signals from the pressure and extension sensing steps into digital signals; processing said digital signals so as to control valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder; and automatically adjusting said pressure on each side of the piston in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation and thereby controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for a tactile control of an automated bucket loading operation using a loader which has at least one hydraulic cylinder for imparting a tilting motion to the bucket when loading said bucket with payload, said cylinder having a piston and a shaft of which one end is connected to the piston within the cylinder and the other is acting on the bucket so as to tilt said bucket according to a tilting trajectory when the shaft extends from the cylinder or retracts thereinto, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing the hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic cylinder on each side of the piston during the loading operation; sensing the extension of the shaft during the loading operation; converting output analog signals from the pressure and extension sensing steps into digital signals; processing said digital signals so as to control valve means which control the pressure on each side of the piston within said hydraulic cylinder; and automatically adjusting said pressure on each side of the piston in response to forces exerted on the bucket during the loading operation and thereby controlling the extension of the shaft as a function of said forces, wherein the loader has front wheels mounted on an axle, comprising the step of sensing the load applied to said axle, converting output analog signals from said axle load sensing step into digital signals and processing the resulting digital signals to maintain said axle load within predetermined limits. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification