Control for an earth moving system while performing turns
First Claim
1. An earthmoving system, comprising:
- a laser transmitter for transmitting a reference beam of laser light,a bulldozer, having a frame and a cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame, said blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade in relation to said frame,a laser receiver mounted on a mast extending upward from, and movable with, said cutting blade, said laser receiver sensing said reference beam of laser light,an inclinometer mounted for movement with said cutting blade to provide an indication of the inclination of said blade,a sensor for detecting turning of said bulldozer, anda control, responsive to said laser receiver, to said inclinometer, and to said sensor, for controlling the operation of said cylinders and adjusting the position of said blade, said control keeping said blade at an unchanged level when rapid turning of said bulldozer is detected regardless of the output from the inclinometer, whereby erroneous vertical movement of the blade is reduced.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An earthmoving system, includes in one embodiment a laser transmitter for transmitting a reference beam of laser light, and a laser receiver mounted on a mast on the bulldozer blade. The bulldozer has a frame and a cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame. The blade support includes hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering the blade in relation to said frame, and for tilting the blade along its length. The mast extends upward from, and is movable with, the blade. An inclinometer is mounted for movement with the blade to provide an indication of the inclination of the blade. A sensor detects turning of the bulldozer. A control is responsive to the laser receiver, to the inclinometer, and to the sensor, for controlling the operation of said cylinders and adjusting the position of said blade. When rapid turning of said bulldozer is detected the control operates to reduce the errors that would otherwise result from an erroneous inclinometer output.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An earthmoving system, comprising:
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a laser transmitter for transmitting a reference beam of laser light, a bulldozer, having a frame and a cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame, said blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade in relation to said frame, a laser receiver mounted on a mast extending upward from, and movable with, said cutting blade, said laser receiver sensing said reference beam of laser light, an inclinometer mounted for movement with said cutting blade to provide an indication of the inclination of said blade, a sensor for detecting turning of said bulldozer, and a control, responsive to said laser receiver, to said inclinometer, and to said sensor, for controlling the operation of said cylinders and adjusting the position of said blade, said control keeping said blade at an unchanged level when rapid turning of said bulldozer is detected regardless of the output from the inclinometer, whereby erroneous vertical movement of the blade is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An earthmoving system, comprising:
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an earthmoving machine, having a cutting blade supported by a blade support, said blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade, a laser receiver mounted on a mast extending upward from, and movable with, said cutting blade, said laser receiver sensing a reference beam of laser light, an inclinometer mounted for movement with said cutting blade to provide an indication of the inclination of said blade, a sensor for detecting turning of said machine, and a control, responsive to said laser receiver, to said inclinometer, and to said sensor, for controlling the operation of said cylinders and adjusting the position of said blade, said control keeping said blade at an unchanged level when rapid turning of said machine is detected regardless of the output from the inclinometer, whereby erroneous vertical movement of the blade is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of controlling the position of the cutting blade of a bulldozer, said bulldozer having a frame and said cutting blade, said cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame, said blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade in relation to said frame, comprising the steps of:
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periodically determining the location of the cutting blade by sensing the relative position of a reference beam of laser light using a laser receiver mounted on a mast extending upward from said cutting blade, sensing the inclination of the cutting blade with an inclinometer mounted on said blade, sensing turning of said bulldozer, and controlling the operation of said cylinders and thereby the position of said cutting blade such that the vertical position of the cutting blade is not changed for a period of time during turning of the bulldozer, regardless of the output from the inclinometer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An earthmoving system, comprising:
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a bulldozer, having a frame and a cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame, said blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade in relation to said frame, a reference position system for determining the position of the bulldozer, an inclinometer mounted for movement with said cutting blade to provide an indication of the inclination of said blade, a sensor for detecting turning of said bulldozer, and a control, responsive to said inclinometer and to said sensor, for controlling the operation of said cylinders and adjusting the position of said blade, said control keeping said blade at an unchanged level when rapid turning of said bulldozer is detected, regardless of the output from the inclinometer, whereby erroneous vertical movement of the blade is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of controlling the position of the cutting blade of a bulldozer, supported by a blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade, said bulldozer further including an inclinometer providing an indication of the inclination of the blade, comprising the steps of:
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operating said cylinders to controlling the height and inclination of the cutting blade in response to outputs from said inclinometer, sensing turning of said bulldozer, and maintaining the position of the cylinders and maintaining the height of the blade at its then current height when turning of the bulldozer is sensed, regardless of the output from the inclinometer, for a period sufficient to avoid undesired fluctuation in the height of the cutting blade.
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23. An earthmoving system, comprising:
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a bulldozer, having a frame and a cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame, said blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade in relation to said frame, and changing the inclination of said blade along its length, a position sensor mounted on a mast extending upward from, and movable with, said cutting blade, said position sensor sensing its vertical position, an inclinometer mounted for movement with said cutting blade to provide an indication of the inclination of said blade, a turning sensor for detecting turning of said bulldozer, and a control, responsive to said position sensor, to said inclinometer, and to said turning sensor, for controlling the operation of said cylinders and adjusting the position and inclination of said blade, and for preventing operation of said cylinders when rapid turning of said bulldozer is detected, said control maintaining the height of the blade at its then current height when turning of the bulldozer is sensed, regardless of the output from the inclinometer, whereby erroneous vertical movement and erroneous tilting of the blade are reduced. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. An earthmoving system, comprising:
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a bulldozer, having a frame and a cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame, said blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade in relation to said frame, and changing the inclination of said blade along its length, a position sensor mounted on a mast extending upward from, and movable with, said cutting blade, said position sensor sensing its vertical position, an inclinometer mounted for movement with said cutting blade to provide an indication of the inclination of said blade, a turning sensor for detecting turning of said bulldozer, and a control, responsive to said position sensor, to said inclinometer, and to said turning sensor, for controlling the operation of said cylinders and adjusting the position and inclination of said blade, said control maintaining the height of the blade at its then current height when turning of the bulldozer is sensed, regardless of the output from the inclinometer, for a period sufficient to avoid undesired fluctuation in the height of the cutting blade such that errors that might otherwise be produced by erroneous output from said inclinometer during turning of said bulldozer are prevented. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An earthmoving system, comprising:
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a bulldozer, having a frame and a cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame, said blade support including a hydraulic cylinder for changing the inclination of said blade along its length, an inclinometer mounted for movement with said cutting blade to provide an indication of the inclination of said blade, a sensor for detecting turning of said bulldozer, and a control, responsive to said inclinometer, for controlling the operation of said cylinder and adjusting the inclination of said blade, said control maintaining the height of the blade at its then current height when turning of the bulldozer is sensed, regardless of the output from the inclinometer, for a period sufficient to avoid undesired fluctuation in the height of the cutting blade, whereby erroneous vertical movement and erroneous tilting of the blade are reduced.
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32. A method of controlling the position of the cutting blade of a bulldozer, said bulldozer having a frame and said cutting blade, said cutting blade supported by a blade support extending from said frame, said blade support including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering said blade in relation to said frame, and for tilting said blade, comprising the steps of:
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periodically determining the location of a sensor mounted on a mast extending upward from said cutting blade, sensing the inclination of the cutting blade and the mast with an inclinometer mounted on said blade, sensing turning of said bulldozer, and controlling the operation of said cylinders and thereby the position of said cutting blade during turning of the bulldozer by maintaining the height of the blade at its then current height when turning of the bulldozer is sensed, regardless of the output from the inclinometer, such that the height of the blade is not affected by an erroneous output from said inclinometer. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification