US 11,317,565 B2Granted

Device for semi-automatic movement of objects

AssigneeåLö AB

InventorsTomas Nygren, Gustaf Lagunoff, David Wiberg

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Abstract

The invention relates to an agricultural device for semi-automatic movement of a holding tool, for holding an object, between two positions, said two positions being at different heights. The device comprises said holding tool for holding the object, load sensing means for determining if the holding tool holds an object, driving means (9) for moving the holding tool up and down, a control unit for controlling the driving means, and a user interface for user input to the control unit. The device can be used in two modes of operations, wherein the holding tool in a first mode of operation is freely movably, and in a second mode of operation is semi-automatically movable between a plurality of determined positions (URP, UPP, LRP, LPP) depending on if the holding tool is holding an object or not, and which command is given to the user interface. The invention further relates to an agricultural vehicle comprising such an agricultural device, a method for an agricultural device, for such semi-automatic movement, and software for obtaining information related to driving means, said software being adapted to perform the method according to the invention.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An agricultural device for semi-automatic movement of a holding tool, for holding an object, between two positions, said two positions being at different heights, the device comprising;

said holding tool for holding the object,
load sensing means for determining if the holding tool holds an object, driving means for moving the holding tool up and down between a lowest point and a highest point,
a control unit for controlling the driving means, and
a user interface for user input to the control unit,
the device can be used in two modes of operations, wherein the holding tool in a first mode of operation is freely movably between the lowest point and the highest point by means of user input via the user interface, and in a second mode of operation is semi-automatically movable between a plurality of determined positions within a range between the lowest and highest point,
wherein:
in the second mode of operation, the control unit is arranged to control the driving means for moving the holding tool in accordance with a predetermined scheme comprising four determined positions, wherein said predetermined scheme comprises;
moving the holding tool to an upper retrieval position (URP), when an up command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool is not holding an object,
moving the holding tool to an upper placing position (UPP), when an up command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool holds an object,
moving the holding tool to a lower retrieval positon (LRP), when a down command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool is not holding an object, and
moving the holding tool to a lower placing positon (LPP), when a down command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool holds an object, and
that when a down command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool holds an object, the load sensing means is during the movement arranged to detect if the holding tool is no longer supporting the same amount of load, wherein upon such a detection, the control unit is arranged to automatically stop the driving means.

9 more elements

A method, for an agricultural device, for semi-automatic movement of a holding tool, for holding an object, between two positions, wherein the holding tool is operatively connected to driving means for moving the holding tool up and down between a lowest point and a highest point, and wherein the holding tool is semi-automatically movable between four determined positions;

an upper retrieval position (URP), an upper placing position (UPP), a lower retrieval positon (LRP), and a lower placing position (LPP), said four positions (URP, UPP, LRP, LPP) all being in a range between the lowest point and the highest point, said method comprising the steps of:
a) receiving, via a user interface, an input command comprising an up command or a down command
b) determining if the holding tool holds an object and
c) automatically controlling the driving means by means of the control unit, wherein;
the driving means moves the holding tool to the upper retrieval position (URP), when an up command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool is not holding an object,
the driving means moves the holding tool to the upper placing position (UPP), when an up command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool holds an object,
the driving means moves the holding tool to the lower retrieval positon (LRP), when a down command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool is not holding an object,
the driving means moves the holding tool to the lower placing positon (LPP), when a down command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool holds an object, and
d) which is carried out simultaneously as step c), wherein when step c) is automatically controlling the driving means for moving the holding tool, and when a down command is received by means of the user interface and the holding tool holds an object, step d) comprises sensing of, during the movement of the holding tool, if the holding tool is no longer supporting the same amount of load, wherein upon such a detection the control unit is arranged to automatically stop the driving means.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/380,085Filed 10 Apr 2019 · continuation
Priority: SE 1651328-510 Oct 2016
Published: US 2019/0230865 A11 Aug 2019
Granted: 3 May 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A01D 87/0076
Mounted on the tractor but having their own lifting device: front loaders
B66C 1/68
Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting…:…
B66C 13/16
Other constructional features or details: applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices
B66C 13/48
Control systems or devices: automatic control of crane drives for producing a single or repeated working cycle; Program control