Grapple positioning system and method for a work vehicle
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsSuchitra Iyer, Ishani Pandit, Jacob M. Eilders
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method of positioning a grapple of a skidder based on ground conditions and felled timber characteristics, or other material characteristics, such as conduit characteristics for pipe, being moved by the skidder. The vehicle includes a level sensor to determine slope of the vehicle based on ground slope and a traction device to determine a slip condition of the vehicle. Level sensors can include a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or a pitch/roll/yaw sensor. The grapple assembly is automatically positioned based on the vehicle slope, the slip condition, and the weight and/or the length of the felled timber being collected by the grapple.
Claims17
A work vehicle for moving felled trees along the ground that are cut from a worksite during a logging operation, the work vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle frame supported by wheels or tracks;
- a level sensor to provide a slope, the level sensor operatively connected to the vehicle frame to determine the slope of the vehicle with respect to the force of gravity;
- a grapple assembly mounted to the vehicle frame, the grapple assembly including a grapple to grasp the felled trees;
- a speed sensor to provide a wheel or track speed;
- a vehicle speed sensor to provide a vehicle speed;
- and
- a controller operatively connected to level sensor and to the grapple assembly, the controller including a processer and a memory, wherein the memory has a plurality of program instructions stored thereon, that in response to and execution of the plurality of program instructions by the processor causes the controller to:
- identify a slope of the vehicle with respect to the force of gravity based on the level sensor;
- actuate the grapple assembly to adjust a height of the grapple with respect to ground based on the identified slope;
- further wherein execution of the plurality of program instructions by the processor causes the controller to:
- identify a slip condition of the wheels or tracks based on the wheel or track speed and the vehicle speed;
- actuate the grapple assembly to adjust a height of the grapple with respect to ground based on the identified slip condition.
A control system of for moving felled trees that are cut from a worksite during a logging operation with a work vehicle having a vehicle frame supported by wheels or tracks and a grapple assembly mounted to the vehicle frame, the grapple assembly including a grapple to grasp the felled trees, the control system comprising:
- a level sensor to provide a slope, the level sensor operatively connected to the vehicle frame to determine the slope of the vehicle with respect to the force of gravity;
- a speed sensor to provide a wheel or track speed;
- a vehicle speed sensor to provide a vehicle speed;
- and
- a controller operatively connected to level sensor and to the grapple assembly, the controller including a processer and a memory, wherein the memory has a plurality of program instructions stored thereon, and execution of the plurality of program instructions by the processor causes the controller to:
- identify a slope of the vehicle with respect to the force of gravity based on the level sensor;
- and
- actuate the grapple assembly to adjust a height of the grapple with respect to ground based on the identified slope;
- further wherein execution of the plurality of program instructions by the processor causes the controller to:
- identify a slip condition based on the wheel or track speed and the vehicle speed;
- actuate the grapple assembly to adjust a height of the grapple with respect to ground based on the identified slip condition.
A method of adjusting a height of a grapple with respect to ground using a grapple assembly supported by a vehicle having wheels or tracks, wherein the grapple grasps felled trees that are cut from a worksite during a logging operation, the method comprising:
- identifying a slope of the vehicle with respect to the force of gravity;
- actuating the grapple assembly to adjust a height of the grapple based on the identified slope of the vehicle;
- identifying a wheel or track slip condition of the wheel or track;
- and
- actuating the grapple assembly to adjust a height of the grapple based on the identified slip condition of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.