Loader latching assist method and apparatus

An attach assist apparatus for assisting coupling a loader with an associated work vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• an attach assist control unit comprising:
• a processor device;
• a non-transitory memory device operatively coupled with the processor device;
• and
• attach assist control logic stored in the non-transitory memory device;
• a communication interface operably coupling the attach assist control unit with a controller of the associated work vehicle;
• and
• a loader locked sensor operably coupled with the attach assist control unit, the loader locked sensor being disposed at an interface between a mounting mast of the loader that is operably coupleable with a corresponding mounting frame affixed to the associated work vehicle,
• wherein the processor device is operable to execute the attach assist control logic to:
• generate a pre-position instruction signal for automatically pre-positioning the loader in a predetermined orientation to facilitate the coupling of the loader with the associated work vehicle;
• deliver the instruction signal via the communication interface to the controller the associated work vehicle to automatically pre-position the loader in the predetermined orientation to facilitate the coupling of the loader with the associated work vehicle;
• generate a forward movement instruction signal for automatically initiating movement of the associated work vehicle towards the loader;
• deliver the forward movement instruction signal via the communication interface to the controller of the associated work vehicle to automatically initiate the movement of the associated work vehicle towards the loader;
• automatically receive a loader locked signal from the loader locked sensor, the loader locked signal being representative of a confirmation of the loader being coupled with the associated work vehicle;
• and
• deliver, responsive to receiving the loader locked signal, a forward movement pause instruction signal via the communication interface to the controller of the associated work vehicle to automatically pause the movement of the associated work vehicle towards the loader.

A method for assisting coupling a loader with an associated work vehicle, the method comprising:

• with the loader and the associated work vehicle mutually spaced apart:
• generating a pre-position instruction image on a screen of a human readable display unit, wherein the pre-position instruction image informs an operator of the associated vehicle how to pre-position the loader in a predetermined orientation to facilitate the coupling;
• and
• generating a forward movement instruction image on the screen of a human readable display unit, wherein the forward movement instruction image instructs the operator of the associated work vehicle to initiate movement of the associated work vehicle towards the loader;
• and
• with the loader and the associated work vehicle being in mutual contact:
• receiving a coupled confirmation signal from the operator of the associated vehicle via an input device confirming by the operator that the loader is coupled with the associated work vehicle;
• and
• responsive to receiving the coupled confirmation signal, generating a forward movement pause instruction image on the screen of the human readable display unit, wherein the forward movement pause instruction image instructs the operator of the associated work vehicle to pause the movement of the associated work vehicle towards the loader.

A method for assisting coupling a loader with an associated work vehicle, the method comprising:

• with the loader and the associated work vehicle mutually spaced apart:
• generating a pre-position instruction signal to pre-position the loader in a predetermined orientation to facilitate the coupling by delivering the pre-position instruction signal via a communication interface to a controller the associated work vehicle to automatically pre-position the loader in the predetermined orientation to facilitate the coupling;
• generating a forward movement instruction signal for initiating movement of the associated work vehicle towards the loader by delivering the pre-position instruction signal via the communication interface to the controller the associated work vehicle to automatically initiate the movement of the associated work vehicle towards the loader;
• with the loader and the associated work vehicle being in mutual contact:
• receiving a coupled confirmation signal representative of a confirmation of the loader being coupled with the associated work vehicle by automatically receiving the coupled confirmation signal as a loader locked signal from a loader locked sensor disposed at an interface between a mounting mast of the loader that is operably coupleable with a corresponding mounting frame affixed to the associated work vehicle, the loader locked signal from the loader locked sensor being representative of the confirmation of the loader being coupled with the associated work vehicle;
• and
• responsive to receiving the coupled confirmation signal, delivering forward movement pause instruction signal via the communication interface to the controller the associated work vehicle to automatically pause the movement of the associated work vehicle towards the loader.