Self-propelled civil engineering machine and method of controlling a civil engineering machine

• US 9,598,080 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH (Deere & Company)
• Original Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH (Deere & Company)
• Inventors: Fritz, Matthias, Dahm, Martin, Barimani, Cyrus, Hhn, Gnter
• Primary Examiner(s): RISIC, ABIGAIL ANNE
• Application Number:
  US14/922,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20160107647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/17 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/18 Distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/00 Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving surface stabilisation E01C21/00; apparatus specially adapted for reconditioning or repairing paving E01C23/00
• 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 19/008 by reference lines placed along the road, e.g. wires co-operating with feeler elements E01C19/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4886 for forming in a continuous operation kerbs, gutters, berms, safety kerbs, median barriers or like structures in situ, e.g. by slip-forming, by extrusion removable forms for kerbs, gutters or similar structures E01C19/506; making conduits in situ E02D29/10
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004

Abstract

A civil engineering machine and a method of controlling the machine are based on the position of at least one reference point which is relevant to the control of the civil engineering machine being changed, as the civil engineering machine moves, as a function of a relative position of the at least one reference point relative to a desired path of travel.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a drive unit of a self-propelled civil engineering machine to enable the civil engineering machine to perform translatory and/or rotational movements on the ground, the method comprising:

determining a deviation of at least one reference point on the civil engineering machine from a desired distance or path of travel which is defined by at least one straight line and/or curve;

controlling the drive unit being controlled depending on the deviation of the at least one reference point on the civil engineering machine from the desired distance or path of travel in such a way that the reference point on the civil engineering machine moves along the desired distance or path of travel or along the desired distance or path of travel at a preset spacing therefrom, and

changing a position of the at least one reference point relative to the civil engineering machine continuously depending on the position of the at least one reference point relative to the desired distance or path of travel.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, before a transition from a substantially straight section of the desired distance or path of travel to a curved section of the desired distance or path of travel, the position of the at least one reference point relative to the civil engineering machine is shifted from a position which is at the front in the direction of operation to a position which is at the rear in the direction of operation.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, after the transition from the substantially straight section of the desired distance or path of travel to the curved section of the desired distance or path of travel, the position of the at least one reference point relative to the civil engineering machine is shifted forward from the position which is at the rear in the direction of operation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the deviation from a desired distance or path of travel of a reference point on the civil engineering machine which is at the front in the direction of operation and of a reference point thereon which is at the rear in the direction of operation is determined, the drive unit being controlled, in a first mode of control, depending on the deviation of the reference points at the front and rear in the direction of operation when the civil engineering machine is moving along a substantially straight section of the desired distance or path of travel, the front and rear reference points thus moving along the desired distance or path of travel or along the desired distance or path of travel at a spacing therefrom.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the reference point which is at the front in the direction of operation is shifted from a position which is at the front in the direction of operation to a position which is at the rear in the direction of operation before a transition from the substantially straight section of the desired distance or path of travel to a curved section of the desired distance or path of travel.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, after the transition from the substantially straight section of the desired distance or path of travel to the curved section of the desired distance or path of travel, the reference point which is at the front in the direction of operation is shifted forward from the position which is at the rear in the direction of operation.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the drive unit is controlled, in a second mode of control, depending on the position of the reference point which is at the rear in the direction of operation when the civil engineering machine is moving along a curved section of the desired distance or path of travel, the rear reference point thus moving along the desired distance or path of travel or along the desired distance or path of travel at a spacing therefrom.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, in the first mode of control, the position of front wheels or running-gear units and of rear wheels or running-gear units of the drive unit is varied depending on the deviation of the front reference point from the desired distance or path of travel and of the deviation of the rear reference point from the desired distance or path of travel and, in the second mode of control, the position of the front wheels or running-gear units is varied depending on the deviation of the rear reference point from the desired distance or path of travel.

9. A method of controlling a drive unit of a self-propelled civil engineering machine, the method comprising:

(a) defining a defined position of at least one reference point on the civil engineering machine;

(b) defining a desired path of travel of the at least one reference point relative to a ground surface, the desired path of travel including at least one substantially straight portion and at least one curved portion;

(c) determining a deviation of the at least one reference point from the desired path of travel;

(d) controlling the drive unit depending on the deviation such that the at least one reference point on the civil engineering machine moves along the desired path of travel; and

(e) changing the defined position of the at least one reference point on the civil engineering machine continuously depending on a relative position of the at least one reference point relative to the desired path of travel.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

step (e) further comprises, before the relative position of the at least one reference point relative to the desired path of travel reaches a transition from the substantially straight portion to the curved portion, shifting the defined position of the at least one reference point rearward relative to the civil engineering machine.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

in step (a), the at least one reference point includes a front reference point and a rear reference point; and

step (e) further comprises, before or when the front reference point reaches a transition from the substantially straight section of the desired path of travel to the curved section of the desired path of travel, shifting the defined position of the front reference point rearward toward the rear reference point.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

step (e) further comprises, continuing to shift the defined position of the front reference point rearward so that the front reference point is substantially coincident with the rear reference point by the time the rear reference point reaches the transition.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

step (e) further comprises, shifting the front reference point forward as the rear reference point traverses the curved section of the desired path of travel.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

step (e) further comprises, continuing to shift the defined position of the front reference point rearward so that the front reference point is at a preset spacing from the rear reference point by the time the rear reference point reaches the transition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

step (e) further comprises, before or when the rear reference point reaches a second transition from the curved section to another substantially straight section of the desired path of travel, shifting the defined position of the front reference point forward relative to the civil engineering machine to an original spacing between the front and rear reference points.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein:

step (a) further comprises defining defined positions of a front reference point and a rear reference point;

step (d) further comprises controlling positions of front and rear wheels or running gear units of the drive unit; and

step (d) further comprises;

(d)(1) in a first mode of control, varying the position of the front and rear wheels or running-gear units depending on a deviation of the front reference point from the desired path of travel and a deviation of the rear reference point from the desired path of travel; and

(d)(2) in a second mode of control, varying the position of the front wheels or running-gear units depending on the deviation of the rear reference point from the desired path of travel.