Autonomous ground surface treatment systems, vehicles, and methods
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorsJoshua Craig Friell, Jackie R. Gust, Alexander Steven Frick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ground surface treatment vehicle and systems and methods using the same. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be adapted to autonomously or semi-autonomously identify and optionally treat target areas such as divots on turf surfaces. The vehicle may identify the target area via onboard or remote sensors and autonomously treat the target area by providing a treating material such as infill, seed, particulate matter, and liquids.
Claims21
An autonomous natural turf maintenance system comprising:
- a vehicle comprising a chassis supported upon a ground surface by ground support members;
- a container supported by the chassis, the container defining a discharge outlet operable to disperse treating material contained in one or more packages that are held within the container to a target area of the ground surface, wherein the target area comprises at least one of divots and ruts;
- a gate adapted to selectively open and close the discharge outlet;
- a sensor adapted to identify the target area;
- and
- an electronic controller supported by the chassis, the controller in communication with the sensor and the gate, wherein the controller is adapted to:
- position the chassis at a location proximate the target area such that the discharge outlet is capable of delivering the treating material to the target area;
- and energize the gate to open the discharge outlet.
-28. (canceled)
A method of operating an autonomous turf maintenance vehicle, the method comprising:
- transporting the vehicle to a work region comprising a turf surface, the vehicle comprising:
- a chassis supported upon the turf surface by ground support members;
- one or more motors adapted to propel the vehicle over the turf surface;
- a container supported by the chassis, the container comprising a discharge outlet operable to transfer treating material contained in one or more packages within the container to a target area of the turf surface, wherein the target area comprises at least one of divots and ruts;
- a sensor adapted to identify the target area;
- and
- an electronic controller supported by the chassis, the controller in communication with the sensor and the one or more motors;
- autonomously propelling the vehicle across the work region;
- and
- autonomously identifying, with the sensor, the target area.
A system for transporting one or more autonomous natural turf maintenance vehicles, the system comprising:
- a transport vehicle adapted to carry the one or more autonomous natural turf maintenance vehicles, the transport vehicle comprising:
- wheels adapted to propel the transport vehicle over a ground surface;
- and
- a bed defining a space operable to receive and support the one or more autonomous natural turf maintenance vehicles, wherein the bed is movable between a transport position and a deployment position, the transport position adapted to transport the one or more autonomous natural turf maintenance vehicles between multiple locations, and the deployment position adapted to allow the one or more autonomous natural turf maintenance vehicles to enter or exit:
- the bed and the transport vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.