Independent position sensor and a system to determine the position of a tool on a works machine using position sensors

An angular position-detecting device in a system for determining the position of a tool mounted on an articulated arm of a digging machine having a monitoring appliance;

• each of the detection devices including:
• at least one attachment face equipped with removable attachment elements including at least one magnet, to be held flush against an articulated component of the digging machine without the need to use screws,
• a communication module for remotely transmitting data to a receiver on the monitoring appliance,
• an independent electrical power supply source,
• a processing unit, and
• an electronic position-detecting module,
• each of the electronic position-detecting modules including at least one angular position sensor for supplying angular position data to the processing unit, the communication module including a transmitter having a wireless interface connected to the processing unit for remotely transmitting the angular position data to the monitoring appliance in a transmission signal, the detection devices being distributed so each of the detection devices is on different articulated parts of the digging machine, and the monitoring appliance includes:
• a wireless communication receiver for receiving the transmission signal,
• a user interface having a display screen, and
• a module for calculating the position of the tool in response to the angular position data emitted by all the detection devices.

A system for determining the position of a tool of an excavation machine having a chassis, a support arm pivotally attached to the chassis, a bucket arm having first and second ends, the first end being pivotally attached on the support arm, a bucket pivotally attached to the second end of the bucket arm, an actuator system for operating (a) the support arm, (b) the bucket arm and (c) the tool in response to control signals;

• three angular position-detecting devices, each including a transmitter with a wireless interface and an independent electrical power source, the three angular position-detecting devices being respectively positioned by magnets on the support arm, the bucket arm and the tool;
• a user interface for controlling the actuator system;
• and
• a monitoring appliance adapted to operate in liaison with the user interface, the monitoring appliance including a wireless communication receiver for receiving signals adapted to be delivered by the transmitters of the three detection devices.