System, apparatus, and method for remote control of a work vehicle
AssigneePawluski Patents Corporation
InventorVincent Edmund Pawluski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control apparatus for operationally engaging a vehicle having one or more manually operable control elements. Each of the one or more manually operable control elements has a mechanical operator-interface. The control apparatus has one or more control actuators each for mechanically engaging the mechanical operator-interface of a corresponding one of the one or more manually operable control elements, a signal receiver for receiving command signals from a remote control, and a control circuit module functionally coupled to the signal receiver and the one or more control actuators for controlling the operation of the one or more control actuators based on the received command signals, to control the operation of the vehicle.
Claims12
An add-on control apparatus for remotely controlling at least one manually operable mechanical operator-interface control element within an operator cab of a vehicle, wherein the at least one mechanical operator-interface control element includes:
- a power take off (PTO) control element on a console within the operator cab of the vehicle for engaging and disengaging the PTO of the vehicle;
- an engine speed control element on the console within the cab of the vehicle for increasing and decreasing the revolutions per minute (RPM) speed of an engine of the vehicle;
- and
- an operator key received within a manual start switch within the operator cab of the vehicle for starting the engine of the vehicle, the manual start switch having an off position, an on position and a start position;
- and
- the add-on control apparatus comprising:
- a frame configured to releasably couple to the console within the operator cab of the vehicle;
- at least one control actuator configured to mechanically engage with a corresponding one of the at least one mechanical operator-interface control element;
- a remote control device configured to output command signals, the remote control device being remote from the vehicle;
- a signal receiver for receiving command signals from the remote control device;
- and
- a control circuit module functionally coupled to the signal receiver and the at least one control actuator for controlling actuation of the at least one control actuator based on the received command signals;
- wherein the at least one control actuator includes a RPM control actuator having one end supported by the frame and the other end mechanically engaged with the engine speed control element, and wherein actuation of the RPM control actuator via the remote control device varies the RPM speed of the engine of the vehicle;
- and
- (i) the at least one control actuator further including a PTO control actuator having one end supported by the frame and the other end mechanically engaged with the PTO control element, and wherein actuation of the PTO control actuator via the remote control device engages and/or disengages the PTO of the vehicle;
- or
- (ii) a start switch assembly comprising:
- a start switch frame having a start switch interface for engaging a supporting structure of the start switch;
- a wheel having a slot in which the operator key is received, the wheel rotatably supported on the start switch frame;
- and
- wherein the at least one control actuator is a start switch actuator configured to rotate the wheel, and thus the operator key received within the slot, between the off position, the on position and the start position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.