Method for setting up a mobile machine

• US 8,224,577 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Putzmeister Engineering GmbH, Universitaet Stuttgart
• Original Assignee: Putzmeister Engineering GmbH, Universitaet Stuttgart
• Inventors: Gelies, Stephan, Frick, Juergen, Rau, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Barbee, Manuel L
• Application Number:
  US12/449,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 702/5, 702/150, 702/151, 702/153, 702/154, 701/50, 701/23, 701/25, 701/124, 701/207, 701/210, 701/220, 701/221, 340/686.1
• US Class Current: 702/5
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/40 Applications of devices for transmitting control pulses; Applications of remote control devices control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/90 Devices for indicating or limiting lifting moment
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/006 for working platforms
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/0436 on a mobile support, e.g. truck
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/0445 with booms
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/0463 with boom control mechanisms, e.g. to automate concrete distribution

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for setting up a mobile machine (1), particularly an automatic concrete pump, a mobile crane or a movable elevating work platform. With such a method, the subsurface (28) of a site is analyzed for the properties and/or load-bearing capacity thereof before the machine (10) is positioned there and/or oriented and supported by means of flarable supporting legs (20, 24) in set-up positions (VR, VL, HR, HL) suitable according to the determined subsurface properties and load-bearing capacity. In order to determine an optimized set-up position for the supporting legs (20, 24), geodata (38) of a geographic environment that includes the site is read via a computer in a data memory (44) using a layer of subsurface data (40) that defines the subsurface properties and load-bearing capacity. In addition, the geographic position of the machine (1) and the orientation thereof at the site are determined and linked in the form of a data set that defines at least the geographic set-up positions (VR, VL, HR, HL) of the flared supporting legs (20, 24) to the imported geodata and subsurface data (38, 40). Then, the machine (1) is navigated with the supporting legs (20, 24) into a set-up position that is suited according to the imported geodata and subsurface data.

Claims

1. Method for setting up a mobile work machine (1), in which the subsurface (28) at a location of use is analyzed with regard to its composition and/or load-bearing capacity, before the work machine (1) is positioned there and/or oriented and supported by means of support legs (20, 24) that can be moved out, into suitable set-up positions (VR, VL, HR, HL), in accordance with the subsurface composition and load-bearing capacity that has been determined, wherein geodata (38) of a geographic area that contains the location of use, having a layer of known subsurface data (40) that define the subsurface composition and load-bearing capacity, are read into a data memory (44), by way of a computer, wherein the geographic position of the work machine (1) and its orientation at the location of use are determined and linked with the geodata and subsurface data (38, 40) that have been read in, in the form of a data set that defines at least the geographic set-up positions (VR, VL, HR, HL) of the extended support legs (20, 24), and wherein the work machine (1), with its support legs (20, 24), is navigated into a suitable set-up position, in accordance with the geodata and subsurface data that have been read in, in each instance.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the geodata and subsurface data (38, 40) read into the data memory (44) are displayed on a screen (50) as a geographic representation (48), and wherein the geographic set-up positions (VR, VL, HR, HL) of the support legs (20, 24) are inserted into the geographic screen representation (48) of the geodata and subsurface data (38, 40), and moved relative to these when the work machine (1) is navigated.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the geographic position of the work machine (1) at the location of use is determined by way of a satellite-supported positioning system (52) fixed in place on the machine.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the geographic orientation of the work machine at the location of use is determined by way of a second satellite-supported positioning system (54) disposed in fixed manner on the machine, at a distance from the positioning system (52).

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the geographic orientation of the work machine (1) at the location of use is determined by way of an inertial sensor system (56) fixed in place on the machine.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the inertial sensor system (56) is configured as a fiber gyroscope or as a laser gyroscope.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the subsurface data (40) contain digital geo-information data about cavities (30), sewers, power lines in the subsurface (28).

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the subsurface data (40) are read in in the form of pixel files, and processed in the computer (36).

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the subsurface data (40) are read in in the form of vector files, and processed in the computer (36).

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the geodata and/or subsurface data (38, 40) are called up by way of an online database (32).

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the drive of the work machine to the location of use and its set-up are simulated, using a model data set of the work machine (1) inserted into the geodata and subsurface data (38, 40), and wherein the drive-up paths and/or set-up positions are stored in a route value or reference value memory (58), for later navigation of the work machine (1) to the location of use.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the work machine (1) is navigated to a suitable set-up position by a machine operator, and supported there.

13. Method according to one claim 1, wherein the work machine (1) is automatically navigated to the set-up positions (VR, VL, HR, HL) of its support legs (20, 24), using its measured geographical position and orientation data (46), in accordance with the geodata and subsurface data (38, 40) that have been determined, and supported there.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein the suitability or non-suitability of a potential set-up position is indicated by means of an optical or acoustical release signal or warning signal.