Method for monitoring the position of a motor grader blade relative to a motor grader frame

• US 6,028,524 A
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhang, Xiaojun, Shearer, Daniel E., Shane, Mark D., Hartman, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/216,550
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 340/680, 340/679, 340/684, 340/686.1, 340/686.2, 340/686.3, 340/686.5, 340/686.6, 172/3, 172/4, 172/4.5, 172/5, 172/6, 172/799, 172/233, 172/784, 701/45, 701/50, 37/907, 37/214
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7654 with the scraper blade being horizontally movable into a position near the chassis
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/845 using mechanical sensors to determine the blade position, e.g. inclinometers, gyroscopes, pendulums

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring the position of a motor grader blade relative to a motor grader frame. The method includes the steps of: providing an electronic controller, blade controls having position sensors, and frame controls having position sensors; monitoring the output of the position sensors to ascertain the position of the blade controls and the frame controls; receiving an input signal requesting a repositioning of the blade or the frame; determining the present blade position and the present frame position; calculating a future blade position and a future frame position based on the repositioning request; predicting an intersection of the future blade position and the future frame position; and producing an action to prevent the intersection of the future blade position and the future frame position.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the position of a motor grader blade relative to a motor grader frame comprising the steps of:

providing an electronic controller, blade controls having position sensors, and frame controls having position sensors;

monitoring the output of the position sensors to ascertain the position of the blade controls and the frame controls;

receiving an input signal requesting a repositioning of the blade or the frame;

determining the present blade position and the present frame position;

calculating a future blade position and a future frame position based on the repositioning request;

predicting an intersection of the future blade position and the future frame position; and

producing an action to prevent the intersection of the future blade position and the future frame position.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of producing an action to prevent the intersection of the future blade position and the future frame position includes the step of canceling the repositioning request.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of producing an action to prevent the intersection of the future blade position and the future frame position includes the step of producing a warning signal.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of calculating a future blade position and a future frame position based on the repositioning request includes the step of determining the volume of space that the blade will occupy in a future blade position and the volume of space that the frame will occupy in a future frame position based on the repositioning request.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the step of predicting an intersection of the future blade position and the future frame position includes the step of predicting an intersection of the future blade position volume and the future frame position volume.