Milling machine with location indicator system

• US 9,096,977 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH (Deere & Company)
• Original Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH (Deere & Company)
• Inventors: Fritz, Matthias, Berning, Christian, Barimani, Cyrus, Hhn, Gnter
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US13/901,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20140348584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 404 8405- 848, 404/75
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/004 Devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path for graders or bulldozers E02F3/841; for other soil-shifting machines E02F9/2045
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 21/00 Apparatus or processes for surface soil stabilisation for road building or like purposes, e.g. mixing local aggregate with binder recycling in place or on the road involving soil stabilisation E01C23/065 ; stabilising soil under existing surfacing E01C23/10; soil-conditioning or soil-stabilising materials C09K17/00; soil consolidation in general E02D3/12
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/065 Recycling in place or on the road, i.e. hot or cold reprocessing of paving in situ or on the traffic surface, with or without adding virgin material or lifting of salvaged material; Repairs or resurfacing involving at least partial reprocessing of the existing paving in situ mixing of hydraulic cement concrete E01C19/025; apparatus for in-plant recycling E01C19/1004, E01C19/1036
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/088 Rotary tools, e.g. milling drums for forming recesses to receive marking materials E01C23/0946
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/127 rotary, e.g. rotary hammers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A construction machine apparatus includes a plurality of ground engaging supports, a machine frame supported from the ground engaging supports and a milling drum supported from the machine frame. A milling drum location detection system is configured to determine a drum location in an external reference system. A location indicator system includes a memory configured to store information identifying a location of one or more areas to be avoided in the external reference system, and a controller configured to compare the drum location to the location of the one or more areas to be avoided, and to provide an output corresponding to a proximity of the milling drum to the location of the one or more areas to be avoided.

Claims

1. A construction machine apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of ground engaging supports;

a machine frame supported from the ground engaging supports;

a milling drum supported from the machine frame;

a milling drum location detection system configured to determine a drum location of the milling drum in an external reference system; and

a location indicator system, including;

a memory configured to store information identifying a location of an area to be avoided in the external reference system; and

a controller configured to compare the drum location to the location of the area to be avoided, and to provide an output corresponding to a proximity of the milling drum to the location of the area to be avoided.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a field rover including a rod having a lower end for placement on a ground surface and including a receiver mounted on the rod to gather the information identifying the location of the area to be avoided in the external reference system.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the field rover is removably attachable to the milling machine and is configured such that when the field rover is attached to the milling machine the field rover comprises a part of the milling drum location detection system.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the controller includes an input configured to receive from the field rover the information identifying the location of the area to be avoided.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the input of the controller comprises a port for a memory stick.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the input of the controller comprises a wireless input communicated with a wireless transmitter of the field rover.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the milling drum location detection system is configured such that the drum location corresponds to a portion of the drum at an elevation corresponding to an elevation of the location of the area to be avoided.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the milling drum location detection system is configured such that the drum location corresponds to a portion of the drum at an elevation corresponding to an elevation of a ground surface to be milled.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the portion of the drum is a forward cutting line of the drum.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the portion of the drum is a rearward cutting line of the drum.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the location of the area to be avoided is one side of a straight line.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the straight line is a starting line for a milling operation.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the straight line is a finish line for a milling operation.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the area to be avoided is a circle.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the area to be avoided is a multi-sided shape defined by locations of multiple corners.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the output of the controller includes an indication to a milling machine operator of the proximity of the milling drum to the location of the area to be avoided.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the output of the controller includes a graphic visual display depicting the proximity of the milling drum to the location of the area to be avoided.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the controller includes an audible warning indicator configured to provide an audible indication to the machine operator if the drum location is within a selected range of the location of the area to be avoided.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the controller includes a visual warning indicator configured to provide a visual indication to the machine operator if the drum location is within a selected range of the location of the area to be avoided.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the output of the controller includes a control signal to automatically stop advancement of the milling machine if the drum location is within a selected range of the location of the area to be avoided.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the output of the controller includes a control signal to automatically raise the milling drum of the milling machine if the drum location is within a selected range of the location of the area to be avoided.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the milling drum location detection system includes a GNSS receiver for decoding satellite signals from a global navigation satellite system.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the milling drum location detection system includes a sensor belonging to a non-satellite measuring system for determining the drum location of the milling drum.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the controller includes a range selection component configured so that an operator may select a default clearance for all areas to be avoided.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:

the range selection component is configured so that the operator may select individual clearances for any selected area to be avoided.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the controller includes a range selection component including an automatic integration component so that if a separation between two areas to be avoided is less than a preset multiple of combined clearances of the two areas, the two areas are combined into one larger area.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the controller includes a range selection component configured so that an operator may input an individual clearance for each area to be avoided.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the milling drum location detection system is configured to determine a milling depth of the milling drum and the milling drum location is an intersection of the milling drum with a ground surface being milled.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the controller includes a remainder determination component configured to record a path milled by the milling drum, the locations of the areas to be avoided and the locations of un-milled areas corresponding to locations where the milling drum is raised to avoid the areas to be avoided, so that a record is provided of locations of areas remaining to be milled after passage of the apparatus.

30. A method of milling a ground surface, the method comprising:

(a) storing in a controller information identifying in an external reference system a location of an area to be avoided;

(b) advancing a milling machine

(c) determining a drum location of a milling drum of the milling machine in the external reference system as the milling machine advances;

(d) comparing in the controller the drum location to the location of the area to be avoided; and

(e) providing from the controller an output corresponding to a proximity of the drum location to the location of the area to be avoided.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein step (a) further comprises:

identifying a location of an obstacle to be avoided;

setting a clearance around the object, and thereby identifying a location of an area to be avoided around the obstacle.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein step (c) further comprises:

determining the location of an intersection of a forward cutting line of the milling drum with the ground surface being milled.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

raising the milling drum and passing the milling drum over the area to be avoided;

lowering the milling drum back into milling engagement with the ground surface; and

determining the location of an intersection of a rearward cutting line of the lowered milling drum with the ground surface.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein:

in step (e), the providing of an output includes providing an indication to a milling machine operator of the proximity of the milling drum to the location of the area to be avoided.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein step (e) further comprises:

providing to the milling machine operator a graphic visual display depicting the drum location relative to the location of the area to be avoided.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein step (e) further comprises:

providing to the milling machine operator an audible indication of the proximity of the drum location to the location of the area to be avoided.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein:

in step (e), the providing of an output includes providing a control signal to automatically stop advancement of the milling machine if the drum location is within a selected range of the location of the area to be avoided.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein:

in step (e), the providing of an output includes providing a control signal to automatically raise the milling machine if the drum location is within a selected range of the location of the area to be avoided.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein:

prior to step (a), the information identifying in an external reference system a location of an area to be avoided is gathered using a field rover including a rod having a lower end for placement on a ground surface and including a receiver mounted on the rod to gather the information.