Automatic blade pitch adjustment for dozer
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsBradley C. Dauderman, Cory J. Brant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and a method detect an initial movement of a work machine having a blade. The pitch of the blade is automatically adjusted such that a cutting edge of the blade is at a cutting angle with respect to the surface to enable initiation of a cut below a track plane by the cutting edge. When the cutting edge is elevated to or above the track plane, the pitch of the blade is automatically adjusted to a carry angle. When the cutting edge rises at least a selected distance above the track plane, the pitch of the blade is automatically adjusted to a shedding angle. When the work machine is cutting, the system and method detect bridging of the work machine and automatically reduce the angle of the blade to counter the bridging effect.
Claims14
A computer-assisted method of controlling the pitch of a blade of a work machine comprising:
- initiating movement of the work machine in a forward direction along a surface to be modified by the blade of the work machine;
- responding to the movement of the work machine by automatically changing the pitch of the blade to a first pitch such that a cutting edge of the blade is at a cutting angle with respect to the surface being modified;
- lowering the blade to position the cutting edge below an elevation of a track plane to initiate cutting of the surface to be modified;
- raising the blade to position the cutting edge at the elevation of the track plane;
- responding to the cutting edge rising to the elevation of the track plane by automatically changing the pitch of the blade to a second pitch such that the cutting edge is at a carry angle with respect to the surface being modified;
- raising the blade to position the cutting edge above the elevation of the track plane;
- and
- responding to the cutting edge rising above the elevation of the track plane by automatically changing the pitch of the blade to a third pitch such that the cutting edge is at a shedding angle with respect to the surface being modified.
A control system for operating a work machine comprising a plurality of ground-engaging units, which support a machine frame and which are driven to cause the work machine to travel across a ground surface, the work machine further comprising a blade supported by a support structure extending from the machine frame, the blade having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion supporting a cutting edge configured to sculpt the ground surface along a track plane, wherein the control system comprises:
- a controller configured to:
- receive signals from the work machine indicating the movement of the work machine and signals indicating changes in elevation of the blade;
- generate signals to control the work machine and to control the pitch of the blade;
- respond to forward movement of the work machine by adjusting the pitch of the blade to a first pitch such that the cutting edge is at a cutting angle with respect to the surface being sculpted;
- respond to the cutting edge being lowered below the track plane and then being raised to the elevation of the track plane by adjusting the pitch of the blade to a second pitch such that the cutting edge is at a carry angle with respect to the surface to being sculpted;
- and
- respond to the cutting edge rising above the track plane by adjusting the pitch of the blade to a third pitch such that the cutting edge is at a shedding angle with respect to the surface being sculpted.
A method of sculpting a surface along a track plane using a cutting edge of a blade of a work machine, wherein the blade is supported by a support structure extending from the work machine, wherein the blade has an adjustable pitch with respect to the support structure that enables the cutting edge of the blade to be adjustable to a selected angle with respect to the surface, the method comprising:
- positioning the work machine to position the cutting edge of the blade proximate to a portion of the surface;
- initiating forward movement of the work machine along the track plane;
- responding to the forward movement of the work machine by automatically adjusting the pitch of the cutting edge of the blade to a cutting angle with respect to the surface and lowering the cutting edge into the surface;
- raising the blade to position the cutting edge at an elevation of the track plane;
- responding to the cutting edge rising to the elevation of the track plane by automatically adjusting the cutting edge of the blade to a carry angle with respect to the surface;
- raising the cutting edge to an elevation above the elevation of the track plane;
- and
- responding to the cutting edge rising about the track plane by automatically adjusting the cutting edge of the blade to a shedding angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.