US 6,112,145 A · Method and apparatus for controlling the spatial orientation of the blade on an earthmoving machine

Abstract

A blade control system is configured to control the spatial orientation of an earthmoving blade mounted on a frame of an earthmoving machine for working a surface of earth to a desired shape. The blade slope angle required to maintain a selected cross-slope angle is calculated and the blade slope is then controlled so that the sensed blade slope angle is substantially equal to the calculated blade slope angle. The method and apparatus of the present invention is capable of maintaining the desired cross-slope even when the motorgrader is steered through a turn. The control system includes an input circuit, a sensor system and a processor. The input circuit is arranged to generate an output signal representative of the desired shape of the surface of earth to be worked. The sensor system includes a first sensor coupled to the frame of the earthmoving machine to generate a first signal indicative of a longitudinal slope angle of the frame with respect to horizontal. The sensor system also includes a second sensor coupled to the frame to generate a second signal indicative of a turn angle of the frame relative to a direction of travel of the blade. The processor is electrically coupled to the input circuit and the sensor system and is programmed to control the spatial orientation of the blade in response to at least the output signal from the input circuit, the first signal from the first sensor and the second signal from said second sensor so as to maintain the selected cross-slope angle.

Claims66

Dependent claims

A control system for controlling the spatial orientation of an earthmoving blade mounted on a frame of an earthmoving machine and adjustably moveable by a blade actuating mechanism in order to control the working of a surface of earth to a desired shape, said control system comprising:

an input circuit arranged to generate an output signal representative of the desired shape of the surface of earth to be worked;
a sensor system comprising:
a first sensor generating a first signal indicative of a longitudinal slope angle of said frame with respect to horizontal;
a fourth sensor generating a fourth signal indicative of a side-shift angle of said blade with respect to said frame;
and
a processor electrically coupled to said input circuit and said sensor system and programmed to control said spatial orientation of said blade by controlling the activation of said blade actuating mechanism in response to at least said output signal from said input circuit, at least said first signal from said first sensor and at least said fourth signal from said fourth sensor.

3 more elements

an input circuit arranged to generate an output signal representative of the desired shape of the surface of earth to be worked;
a sensor system comprising:
a first sensor generating a first signal indicative of a longitudinal slope angle of said frame with respect to horizontal;
a second sensor generating a second signal indicative of a turn angle between said frame and a direction of travel of said blade;
a third sensor generating a third signal indicative of a rotational angle of said blade;
and
a fourth sensor generating a fourth signal indicative of a side-shift angle of said blade with respect to said frame;
and
a processor electrically coupled to said input circuit and said sensor system and programmed to control said spatial orientation of said blade by controlling the activation of said blade actuating mechanism in response to at least said output signal from said input circuit, at least said first signal from said first sensor, at least said second signal from said second sensor, at least said third signal from said third sensor and at least said fourth signal from said fourth sensor.

6 more elements

An earthmoving machine comprising:

a vehicle having a frame;
an earthmoving blade coupled to said frame and adjustably moveable with respect to said frame by a blade actuating mechanism;
and
a control system arranged to control a spatial orientation of said blade in order to control the working of a surface of earth to a desired shape, said control system comprising:
an input circuit arranged to generate an output signal representative of the desired shape of the surface of earth to be worked;
a sensor system comprising:
a first sensor generating a first signal indicative of a longitudinal slope angle of said frame with respect to horizontal;
and
a second sensor genera ting a second signal indicative of a turn angle between said frame and a direction of travel of said blade;
a fifth sensor generating a fifth signal indicative of a lateral slope angle of said frame with respect to horizontal;
and
a processor electrically coupled to said input circuit and said sensor system and programmed to control said spatial orientation of said blade by controlling the activation of said blade actuating mechanism in response to at least said output signal from said input circuit, at least said first signal from said first sensor and at least said second signal from said second sensor, and at least said fifth signal from said fifth sensor.

9 more elements

A method of working a surface of earth to a desired shape, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a frame coupled to an adjustably moveable earthmoving blade for working said surface of earth to said desired shape;
working said surface of earth to the desired shape with said earthmoving blade;
detecting a change in a longitudinal slope of said frame with respect to horizontal as said earthmoving blade works said surface of earth;
detecting a change in a side-shift angle of said blade relative to said frame;
and
controlling a spatial orientation of said earthmoving blade so as to control the working of said surface of earth to the desired shape, at least in part, in response to said detected changes in said longitudinal slope and said side-shift angle.

3 more elements

an input circuit arranged to generate an output signal representative of the desired shape of the surface of earth to be worked;
a sensor system comprising:
a first sensor generating a first signal indicative of a longitudinal slope angle of said frame with respect to horizontal;
a second sensor generating a second signal indicative of a turn angle between said frame and a direction of travel of said blade;
and
a processor electrically coupled to said input circuit and said sensor system and programmed to control said spatial orientation of said blade by controlling the activation of said blade actuating mechanism in response to at least said output signal from said input circuit, at least said first signal from said first sensor and at least said second signal from said second sensor, wherein said input circuit is used to select a desired cross-slope angle of the surface of earth to be worked by said blade, said control system controlling said spatial orientation of said earthmoving blade to obtain the desired cross-slope angle of said surface as said surface is being worked, and said processor being further programmed to calculate a blade slope angle used to obtain said desired cross-slope angle of said surface according to the equations:
tan(BS)=tan(CS).multidot.cos(B)-tan(R).multidot.sin(B);
and
tan(R)=tan(M).multidot.cos(B)-tan(CS).multidot.sin(B)
where:
BS is the blade slope angle of said blade relative to horizontal;
CS is said desired cross-slope angle of said surface;
B is said turn angle between said frame and said direction of travel of said blade;
R is an angle between said direction of travel of said blade and horizontal;
and
M is said longitudinal slope angle of said frame with respect to horizontal.

13 more elements

an input circuit arranged to generate an output signal representative of the desired shape of the surface of earth to be worked;
a sensor system comprising:
a first sensor generating a first signal indicative of a longitudinal slope angle of said frame with respect to horizontal;
a second sensor generating a second signal indicative of a turn angle between said frame and a direction of travel of said blade;
a fifth sensor generating a fifth signal indicative of a lateral slope angle of said frame with respect to horizontal;
and
a processor electrically coupled to said input circuit and said sensor system and programmed to control said spatial orientation of said blade by controlling the activation of said blade actuating mechanism in response to at least said output signal from said input circuit, at least said first signal from said first sensor, at least said second signal from said second sensor and at least said fifth signal from said fifth sensor.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for controlling the spatial orientation of the blade on an earthmoving machine

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for controlling the spatial orientation of the blade on an earthmoving machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims66