Control system and method for capturing partial bucket loads in automated loading cycle

• US 8,340,872 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Mintah, Brian, Alshaer, Bassam J., Krone, John J., Berry, Jeffrey K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US11/827,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,995 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2029 Controlling the position of implements in function of its load, e.g. modifying the attitude of implements in accordance to vehicle speed control for hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2203, E02F9/2221 and E02F9/2253 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/083 lift truck scale

Abstract

An automated bucket loading control method includes determining a bucket tilt parameter for a bucket of the machine which corresponds with a partial bucket load, and capturing a partial bucket load by controllably tilting the bucket in a pile of material according to the determined bucket tilt parameter. A control system includes a sensor configured to monitor a bucket tilt parameter and output a bucket tilt signal, and further includes an electronic payload controller coupled with the sensor which is configured to output bucket tilting control commands. The electronic payload controller is further configured to determine a value for the bucket tilt parameter that corresponds with a target partial bucket load and output corresponding bucket tilting control commands during moving a bucket of the machine in a material pile to capture a partial bucket load.

Claims

1. A method of loading material with a machine comprising the steps of:

moving a bucket of the machine into a pile of material;

capturing a full bucket load of the material at least in part by tilting the bucket in the pile, and removing the fully loaded bucket from the pile at a first tilt angle;

determining on a processor a bucket tilt parameter for the bucket which corresponds with a predetermined partial bucket load;

moving the bucket into the pile again; and

capturing a partial bucket load at least in part by controllably tilting the bucket in the pile according to the determined bucket tilt parameter, and removing the partially loaded bucket from the pile at a partial tilt angle less than the first tilt angle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a bucket tilt parameter includes determining a value indicative of the partial tilt angle, and wherein the step of capturing a partial bucket load further comprises tilting the bucket in the pile from a penetration angle to the partial tilt angle.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a step of monitoring bucket velocity during capturing the partial bucket load, the capturing step further comprising controllably tilting the bucket responsive to monitoring bucket velocity.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of storing payload data for the full bucket load preceding the partial bucket load, and selecting a target weight for the partial bucket load based at least in part on the stored payload data.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising a step of storing bucket tilt actuator position data corresponding to a range of partial bucket loads for a plurality of different material types;

and

the step of determining a bucket tilt parameter includes determining a target bucket tilt actuator position based on the target weight and a selected material type.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of receiving sensor inputs corresponding to bucket tilt actuator position, and confirming the bucket tilt actuator is at the target position via the sensor inputs, prior to lifting the partially loaded bucket out of the pile.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

sensing a bucket payload weight subsequent to lifting the partially loaded bucket out of the pile;

comparing the sensed bucket payload weight with a target weight; and

calibrating an electronic payload controller of the machine based at least in part on comparing the sensed bucket payload weight with the target weight.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the machine is configured via executing an automated loading algorithm to capture full bucket loads, and wherein the calibrating step further comprises graduating at least one bucket tilting term of the automated loading algorithm based on comparing the sensed bucket payload weight with a target weight.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

executing a plurality of loading cycles with the machine, including capturing a plurality of partial bucket loads from at least one material pile;

receiving at least one of, pile configuration data and pile composition data, from an optical sensor of the machine during capturing a plurality of partial bucket loads from at least one material pile; and

calibrating an electronic payload controller of the machine based on the at least one of, pile configuration data and pile composition data.

10. A bucket loading control system for a machine comprising:

a sensor configured to monitor a bucket tilt parameter and output a bucket tilt signal; and

an electronic controller coupled with said sensor and configured to output bucket tilting control commands;

said controller being further configured to determine a value for said bucket tilt parameter that corresponds with a target partial bucket load and output corresponding bucket tilting control commands during moving a bucket of the machine in a material pile to capture a partial bucket load.

11. The bucket loading control system of claim 10 wherein said parameter is a bucket tilt angle, said controller being further configured to determine said bucket is at a tilt angle corresponding to the determined value and responsively output bucket lift commands to lift the partially loaded bucket out of the material pile.

12. The bucket loading control system of claim 11 wherein:

said sensor is a first sensor, said system further comprising a payload sensor and a memory coupled with said payload sensor which is configured to store bucket payload data for a plurality of bucket loading cycles; and

said controller is coupled with said memory and configured to determine a value for said bucket tilt parameter based at least in part on said stored bucket payload data.

13. The bucket loading control system of claim 12 wherein said bucket payload sensor comprises a cylinder pressure sensor configured to output a pressure signal associated with at least one lift cylinder for a linkage of the machine.

14. The bucket loading control system of claim 12 wherein said first sensor comprises a position sensor for a bucket tilt actuator of the machine, said memory storing bucket tilt actuator position data corresponding to a range of partial bucket loads.

15. The bucket loading control system of claim 14 wherein said memory stores material specific curve data defining a plurality of different bucket tilt actuator positions corresponding to a range of partial bucket loads;

and

said controller being configured to determine said value according to said material specific curve data.

16. The bucket loading control system of claim 15 further comprising an optical sensor coupled with said controller and configured to output signals corresponding to at least one of, pile configuration data and pile composition data, wherein said controller is configured via executing a calibration routine to calibrate said material specific curve data based on at least one of, pile configuration data and pile composition data, for at least one material pile.

17. A machine comprising:

a linkage;

a movable bucket coupled with said linkage;

a tilt actuator coupled with said bucket; and

an electronic controller in control communication with said tilt actuator, the electronic controller being configured to selectively capture a partial load of material with said bucket at least in part by controllably tilting said bucket within a material pile according to a bucket tilt parameter that corresponds with the partial load, and responsive to a tilt angle of said bucket.

18. The machine of claim 17 wherein said electronic controller is configured to determine a position of said tilt actuator that corresponds with a target partial bucket load and controllably tilt said bucket within a material pile by adjusting said tilt actuator to said determined position.

19. The machine of claim 18 further comprising:

a lift actuator coupled with said linkage and controllably coupled with said electronic controller;

a position sensor coupled with said tilt actuator and configured to output a bucket tilt signal;

said electronic controller being configured via executing a closed loop bucket loading algorithm to determine said tilt actuator is at said position corresponding with a partial bucket load and responsively output bucket lifting control commands to said lift actuator to lift said bucket out of a material pile.

20. The machine of claim 19 comprising a wheel loader, wherein said controller is configured to capture full bucket loads via execution of a first control routine, and configured to capture a range of partial bucket loads less than a full load via execution of a sub-routine, said machine further comprising an input device configured to output a control signal to said electronic payload controller to enable said sub-routine.