Vehicle with always forward system

• US 7,772,969 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dean P. Prohaska
• Original Assignee: Dean P. Prohaska
• Inventors: Prohaska, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, HOI CHING
• Application Number:
  US11/737,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20080258889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 340/465, 340/488, 340/684, 340/573.1, 340552-557, 340/438, 340/426.24, 340/426.25, 340/501, 340/517, 340/521, 340/691.1, 340/691.4, 340/691.5, 340/686.1, 340/426.22, 373/48, 374/13, 374/66, 373/82, 373/08, 701/50, 180/326, 180/333, 180/330, 180/324, 180/6.48, 180/314, 180/89.13
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0633 pivotable about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/073 characterised by special adaptations of vehicle control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/0614 equipped with visual aids for positioning implements or to control working condition optical signalling for vehicles in general B60Q1/26
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for a vehicle that includes a movable chassis and an operator station rotatable relative to the chassis. The system includes a sensor, an indicator assembly, and a controller. The sensor can detect an orientation of the operator station relative to the chassis, and generates a signal indicative of the orientation of the operator station. The indicator assembly is disposed on the operator station, and includes a first indicator indicative of the operator station oriented in a first direction, and a second indicator indicative of the operator station oriented in a second direction. The controller is in communication with the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the operator station orientation from the sensor, and further is in communication with the indicator assembly to selectively vary the indicator assembly between the first indicator and the second indicator based on the signal indicative of the operator station orientation.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle that includes a movable chassis and an operator station rotatable relative to the chassis, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an orientation of the operator station relative to the chassis and to generate a signal indicative of the orientation of the operator station;

an indicator assembly disposed in the operator station, the indicator assembly including a first indicator indicative of the operator station oriented in a first direction, and a second indicator indicative of the operator station oriented in a second direction; and

a controller in communication with the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the operator station orientation from the sensor, the controller further in communication with the indicator assembly to selectively vary the indicator assembly between the first indicator and the second indicator based on the signal indicative of the operator station orientation, the indicator assembly variable between the first indicator and the second indicator in response to the sensor detecting a change in the operator station orientation between a forward-facing direction and a rearward-facing direction.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is indicative of the operator station being oriented in the forward-facing direction, and wherein the second indicator is indicative of the operator station being oriented in the rearward-facing direction.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second indicator is positioned adjacent to the first indicator.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first indicator includes a light source that illuminates in response to the operator station being oriented in the forward-facing direction.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the second indicator includes a light source that illuminates in response to the operator station being oriented in the rearward-facing direction.

6. A method of operating a system for a vehicle that includes a movable chassis and an operator station rotatable relative to the chassis, the method comprising:

sensing an orientation of the operator station relative to the chassis with a sensor;

generating a signal indicative of the operator station orientation;

delivering the signal to a controller;

selectively varying an indicator assembly between a first indicator and a second indicator of the indicator assembly based on the signal indicative of the operator station orientation, the indicator assembly disposed in the operator station;

illuminating the first indicator when the operator station is oriented in a forward-facing direction;

illuminating the second indicator when the operator station is oriented in a rearward-facing direction;

detecting a change in the orientation of the operator station between the forward-facing direction and the rearward-facing direction; and

varying the indicator assembly between the first indicator and the second indicator using the controller in response to detecting the change in the operator station orientation.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

orienting the operator station in the forward-facing direction;

generating a signal indicative of the operator station oriented in the forward-facing direction;

delivering the signal indicative of the operator station oriented in the forward-facing direction to the controller; and

activating the first indicator in response to the operator station being oriented in the forward-facing direction.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising

orienting the operator station in the rearward-facing direction;

generating a signal indicative of the operator station oriented in the rearward-facing direction;

delivering the signal indicative of the operator station being oriented in the rearward-facing direction to the controller; and

varying the indicator assembly from the first indicator to the second indicator in response to the signal indicative of the operator station being oriented in the rearward-facing direction.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein illuminating the first indicator includes deactivating the second indicator.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein illuminating the second indicator includes deactivating the first indicator.

11. A method of operating a vehicle that includes a movable chassis having a forward end and a rearward end, an operator station rotatable relative to the chassis, and a chassis movement control, the method comprising:

providing a direction control system in communication with a transmission of the chassis;

providing a switch mechanism in communication with the direction control system;

orienting the operator station in one of a forward-facing direction and a rearward-facing direction;

enabling the direction control system by engaging the switch mechanism;

engaging the chassis movement control and moving the chassis movement control in a direction indicative of forward chassis movement;

moving the vehicle in the direction of orientation of the operator station in response to the direction control system being enabled regardless of the operator station being oriented in the forward-facing direction or the rearward-facing direction;

disabling the direction control system;

engaging the chassis movement control in a direction indicative of forward vehicle movement; and

moving the chassis in the forward-facing direction in response to the direction control system being disabled and regardless of the operator station orientation.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising

orienting the operator station in the rearward-facing direction;

and

moving the chassis in the rearward-facing direction in response to the direction control system being enabled and the chassis movement control being moved in a direction indicative of forward chassis movement.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising

varying the orientation of the operator station from the rearward-facing direction to the forward-facing direction;

and

moving the chassis in the forward-facing direction in response to the direction control system being enabled and the chassis movement control being moved in a direction indicative of forward chassis movement.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising indicating the orientation of the operator station.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein indicating the orientation of the operator station includes

sensing the orientation of the operator station;

illuminating an indicator of the vehicle in one of a first state and a second state based on the orientation of the operator station in the forward-facing direction; and

illuminating the indicator in the other of the first state and the second state based on the orientation of the operator station in the rearward-facing direction.

23. The method of claim 11, further comprising operating the switch mechanism from inside the operator station to enable or disable the direction control system.

16. A method of operating a vehicle that includes a movable chassis having a forward end and a rearward end, an operator station rotatable relative to the chassis, and a chassis movement control, the method comprising:

providing a direction control system in communication with a transmission of the chassis;

providing a switch mechanism in communication with the direction control system;

orienting the operator station in one of a forward-facing direction and a rearward-facing direction;

enabling the direction control system by engaging the switch mechanism;

engaging the chassis movement control and moving the chassis movement control in a direction indicative of forward chassis movement;

moving the vehicle in the direction of orientation of the operator station in response to the direction control system being enabled regardless of the operator station being oriented in the forward-facing direction or the rearward-facing direction;

sensing a parameter of the vehicle;

generating a first signal indicative of the vehicle parameter;

sensing a parameter of the direction control system;

generating a second signal indicative of the direction control system parameter;

delivering the first signal and the second signal to a controller; and

overriding the second signal in response to the first signal indicative of the vehicle parameter in an active state when the second signal is indicative of the direction control system being enabled.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising

enabling the direction control system when the first signal is indicative of the vehicle parameter in an inactive state.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein sensing the vehicle parameter in an active state includes sensing at least one of movement of the chassis and rotation of the operator station.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein sensing the vehicle parameter in an active state includes sensing movement of the chassis and/or rotation of the operator station.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein sensing the vehicle parameter in an inactive state includes sensing the vehicle in a stationary state.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein sensing the direction control system parameter includes sensing the direction control system being in one of an enabled state and a disabled state.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein overriding the second signal includes sensing the direction control system parameter indicative of the direction control system being enabled.

24. A system for a vehicle that includes a movable chassis having a transmission, a forward end and a rearward end, an operator station rotatable relative to the chassis, and a chassis movement control, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an orientation of the operator station relative to the chassis and to generate a signal indicative of the orientation of the operator station;

an indicator assembly disposed in the operator station, the indicator assembly including a first state indicative of the operator station oriented in a first direction, and a second state indicative of the operator station oriented in a second direction;

a direction control system in communication with the transmission and with the chassis movement control, the direction control system operable to facilitate movement of the vehicle in the direction of orientation of the operator station in response to engagement of the chassis movement control in a direction indicative of forward chassis movement regardless of the operator station being oriented in the forward-facing direction or the rearward facing direction; and

a controller in communication with the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the operator station orientation from the sensor, the controller further in communication with the indicator assembly to selectively vary the indicator assembly between the first state and the second state based on the signal indicative of the operator station orientation, the indicator assembly variable between the first state and the second state in response to the sensor detecting a change in the operator station orientation between a forward-facing direction and a rearward-facing direction.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the indicator assembly includes a first indicator configured to indicate the first state, and a second indicator configured to indicate the second state.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a switch mechanism in communication with the direction control system, wherein the direction control system is selectively enabled by engagement of the switch mechanism.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising the controller in communication with the direction control system, wherein the controller is operable to automatically enable the direction control system regardless of the operator station orientation.