US 2011/0085859 A1 · GYRO COMPENSATED INCLINOMETER FOR CROSS SLOPE CONTROL OF CONCRETE SCREED

Abstract

A control system for controlling movement of individual hydraulically moveable ends of a screed head carried by a boom of a machine so as to maintain a selected elevation position between each end of the screed head and a reference in a concrete paving application as the screed head is moved toward the machine, includes elevation receivers mounted on the ends of the screed head, and a first sensor for sensing the orientation of the screed head along its length from the first end to the second end of the screed head. A second sensor senses rotational movement of the machine which will induce an error in the output of the first sensor, and providing an output indicating such rotational movement. A control circuit is responsive to the elevation receivers and to the first and second sensors for controlling the hydraulically moveable ends of the screed head using the signals from the elevation receivers when they are not blocked, and for controlling the hydraulically movable ends of the screed head using the signals from the first and second sensors, and one of the elevation receivers when the other of the elevation receivers is blocked.

Claims18

Dependent claims

an elevation receiver, mounted on a first end of the screed head, providing a first signal indicating the position of the first end of the screed head in relation to the reference;
an elevation receiver, mounted on a second end of the screed head, providing a second signal indicating the position of the second end of the screed head in relation to the reference;
a first sensor, mounted on the screed head, for sensing the orientation of the screed head along its length from the first end to the second end and providing a third signal indicating such orientation;
a second sensor for sensing rotational movement of the machine which will induce an error in the third signal from the first sensor and providing a fourth signal indicating such rotational movement;
and
a control circuit, responsive to the elevation receivers and to the first and second sensors, for controlling the hydraulically moveable ends of the screed head using the first and second signals from the elevation receivers when the first and second signals are available, and for controlling the hydraulically moveable ends of the screed head using the third signal from the first sensor and the fourth signal from the second sensor, and one of the first and second signals from the elevation receivers when the other of the first and second signals is not available.

3 more elements

A control system for controlling movement of individual hydraulically moveable ends of an elongated tool so as to maintain a selected elevation position between each end of the tool and a reference, comprising:

a first elevation receiver, mounted on a first end of the tool, providing a first signal indicating the position of the first end of the tool in relation to the reference;
a second elevation receiver, mounted on a second end of the tool, providing a second signal indicating the position of the second end of the tool in relation to the reference;
a first sensor, mounted on the tool, for sensing the orientation of the tool along its length from the first end to the second end and providing a third signal indicating such orientation;
a second sensor for sensing movement of said tool in a direction generally parallel to the direction of elongation of said tool and providing a fourth signal indicating such movement;
and
a control circuit, responsive to the elevation receivers and to the first and second sensors, for controlling the hydraulically moveable ends of the tool using the first and second signals from the elevation receivers when the first and second signals are available, and for controlling the hydraulically moveable ends of the tool using the third and fourth signals from the first and second sensors and one of the first and second signals from the elevation receivers when the other of the first and second signals is not available.

3 more elements

A method of controlling the elevation position of hydraulically moveable ends of an elongated tool in relation to a reference detected by elevation receivers attached to the ends of the tool, when reception of one of the elevation receivers of the reference is interrupted, comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a desired elevation position of the tool with respect to the reference;
(b) sensing with the elevation receivers the position of the ends of the tool in relation to the reference;
(c) sensing the inclination of the tool along its length from one end to the other with a gravity reference inclinometer;
(d) correcting the sensed inclination of the tool along its length for errors resulting from movement of the tool in a direction generally parallel to the direction of elongation of the tool;
and
(e) controlling the elevation positions of the ends of the tool using the sensed positions of the ends of the tool in relation to the reference when such positions are both known, and controlling the elevation positions of the ends of the tool using the sensed position of one of the ends of the tool and the sensed inclination of the tool along its length from one end to the other when the elevation positions of both ends of the tool are not known.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gyro compensated inclinometer for cross slope control of concrete screed

Life of this patent

Gyro compensated inclinometer for cross slope control of concrete screed

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18