Mobile working machine comprising a position control device of a working arm, and method for controlling the position of a working arm of a mobile working machine

• US 9,151,013 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Glitza, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong, Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US13/265,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20120099955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 702/94, 702/95, 702/151, 702/154, 414/743, 414/687, 414/697, 700/245, 700/251, 700/262
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/435 for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/844 for positioning the blade, e.g. hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/845 using mechanical sensors to determine the blade position, e.g. inclinometers, gyroscopes, pendulums
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2037 Coordinating the movements of the implement and of the frame
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/264 Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/00 Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means

Abstract

A mobile working machine includes a working arm which is mounted in an articulated manner, by a first end, on a revolving superstructure of the working machine, and a tool which is mounted in a displaceable manner on a second end of the working arm. The mobile working machine includes a position control device of a working arm. At least one inclination sensor is arranged on the revolving superstructure and at least one inclination sensor is arranged on the working arm. Also, at least one rotation rate sensor is arranged on the working arm. The working machine further includes a calculation unit for processing the signals of the at least one inclination sensor, of at least one additional inclination sensor, and of at least one rotational rate sensor.

Claims

1. A mobile working machine comprising:

a working arm having an inclination angle relative to a y-axis;

the working arm arranged on a revolving superstructure of the mobile working machine using a first end;

a tool movably arranged on a second end of the working arm;

a first inclination sensor arranged on the revolving superstructure;

a second inclination sensor arranged on the working arm;

a rotation rate sensor arranged on the working arm; and

an arithmetic logic unit operatively connected to the first inclination sensor, the second inclination sensor, and the rotation rate sensor the arithmetic logic unit being configured to;

identify an acceleration of the working arm with reference to signals from the first inclination sensor and the second inclination sensor;

generate a first measurement of an inclination angle with reference to the acceleration of the working arm;

identify a plurality of angular velocity measurements of the working arm with reference to signals from the rotation rate sensor over a predetermined time period;

generate a second measurement of the inclination angle of the working arm with reference to the plurality of angular velocity measurements from the rotation rate sensor; and

generate an estimate of the inclination angle of the working arm with reference to the first measurement and the second measurement of the inclination angle of the working arm.

2. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working arm comprises segments, wherein the segments are interconnected.

3. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a third inclination sensor and a second rotation rate sensor arranged on each of the segments.

4. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a third inclination sensor, a fourth inclination sensor, and a second rotation rate sensor arranged on each of the segments.

5. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first inclination sensor and the second inclination sensor include pendulum bodies.

6. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first inclination sensor and the second inclination sensor include refracting liquid mirrors.

7. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first inclination sensor and the second inclination sensor are capacitive.

8. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first inclination sensor and the second inclination sensor are conductometric inclination sensors.

9. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotation rate sensor is a micromechanical sensor.

10. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile working machine is an excavator.

11. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile working machine is a telescopic loader.

12. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile working machine is an excavator loader.

13. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile working machine is a wheeled loader.

14. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile working machine is a forestry machine.

15. The mobile working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile working machine is a loading crane.

16. A method for controlling a position of a working arm of a mobile working machine, the method comprising:

identifying an acceleration of the working arm with reference to signals from a first inclination sensor and a second inclination sensor;

generating a first measurement of an inclination angle with reference to the acceleration of the working arm, wherein the working arm is at rest and the working arm has the inclination angle relative to a y-axis;

identifying a plurality of angular velocity measurements of the working arm with reference to signals from a rotation sensor over a predetermined time period;

generating a second measurement of the inclination angle of the working arm with reference to the plurality of angular velocity measurements from the rotation rate sensor; and

generating an estimate for the inclination angle from the first measurement and the second measurement of the inclination angle of the working arm.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the working arm comprises segments, wherein the segments are interconnected and the estimate for the inclination angle from the first measurement and the second measurement is identified for each of the segments.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising calculating a position and attitude of a tool fitting on the working arm of the mobile working machine with reference to the estimate for the inclination angle.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising calculating a deflection of at least one hydraulic cylinder assigned to the working arm of the mobile working machine with reference to the estimate for the inclination angle.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the identifying the first measurement includes identifying a coordinate transformation from segments of the working arm into a revolving superstructure of the mobile working machine, wherein the segments and the revolving superstructure are at rest.