Method for automatically moving the blade of a motor grader from a present blade position to a mirror image position

• US 6,129,156 A
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• 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., Cline, Michael I., Boast, Susan M., Hartman, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BATSON, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US09/216,180
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 172/2, 172/4, 172/4.5, 172/781, 172/795, 172/796, 172/797, 701/50, 37/348, 37/382
• US Class Current: 172/4.5
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/764 with the scraper blade being pivotable about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/765 with the scraper blade being pivotable about a horizontal axis disposed perpendicular to the blade
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/844 for positioning the blade, e.g. hydraulically
• 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 automatically moving the blade of a motor grader from a present blade position to a mirror image position. The method includes the steps of: providing an electronic controller, blade controls having position sensors, and an input switch; obtaining information from the position sensors indicating the position of the blade controls; determining the present blade position; receiving an input signal from the input switch requesting a mirror image position; calculating the mirror image position of the present blade position; and producing a control signal for actuating the blade controls to move the blade from the present blade position to the mirror image position.

Claims

1. A method for automatically moving the blade of a motor grader from a present blade position to a mirror image position comprising the steps of:

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

obtaining information from the position sensors indicating a position of the blade controls;

determining the present blade position;

receiving an input signal from the input switch requesting a mirror image position;

calculating the mirror image position of the present blade position; and

producing a control signal for actuating the blade controls to move the blade from the present blade position to the mirror image position.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of determining the present blade position includes the step of determining a present blade cutting angle.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of calculating the mirror image position of the present blade position includes the step of calculating the mirror image position of the present blade cutting angle.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the blade controls include a circle drive and wherein the step of producing a control signal for actuating the blade controls to move the blade from the present blade position to the mirror image position includes the step of producing a control signal for actuating the circle drive to rotate the blade from the present blade cutting angle to the mirror image position.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of determining the present blade position includes the step of determining a present blade sideshift.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the step of calculating the mirror image position of the present blade position includes the step of calculating the mirror image position of the present blade sideshift.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the blade controls include a sideshift cylinder and wherein the step of producing a control signal for actuating the blade controls to move the blade from the present blade position to the mirror image position includes the step of producing a control signal for actuating the sideshift cylinder to shift the blade from the present blade sideshift to the mirror image position.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of determining the present blade position includes the step of determining a present drawbar sideshift.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the step of calculating the mirror image position of the present blade position includes the step of calculating a mirror image position of the present drawbar sideshift.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the blade controls include a centershift cylinder and wherein the step of producing a control signal for actuating the blade controls to move the blade from the present blade position to the mirror image position includes the step of producing a control signal for actuating the centershift cylinder to shift the blade from the present drawbar sideshift to the mirror image position.