Aerial work platform boom having ground and platform controls linked by a controller area network

An aerial work apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a platform;
• a boom having a plurality of boom sections connecting the platform and the base;
• a hydraulic system for moving the boom sections;
• and
• a boom control for controlling the hydraulic system in response to operator input to move boom sections in accordance with the operator input, said boom control comprising:
• a first control module on the base responsive to an operator for providing boom motion commands for causing the boom to move in a desired direction;
• a second control module on the platform responsive to an operator for providing boom motion commands for causing the boom to move in a desired direction;
• and
• a controller area network interconnecting the first control module and the second control module;
• wherein the boom control comprises an envelope controller comprising:
• a position detector subroutine or circuit for detecting a position of the boom sections or work platform relative to a position of the base;
• and
• a position limitation subroutine or circuit for inhibiting the boom control signal being provided to the hydraulic system when the position detector subroutine or circuit indicates that the detected position of the boom sections or work platform relative to the position of the base will exceed an envelope limit whereby the envelope controller limits the position of the boom sections or work platform relative to the position of the base to within a predefined region.

An aerial work apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a platform;
• a boom having a plurality of boom sections connecting the platform and the base;
• a hydraulic system for moving the boom sections;
• and
• a boom control for controlling the hydraulic system in response to operator input to move boom sections in accordance with the operator input, said boom control comprising:
• a first control module on the base responsive to an operator for providing boom motion commands for causing the boom to move in a desired direction;
• a second control module on the platform responsive to an operator for providing boom motion commands for causing the boom to move in a desired direction;
• a controller area network interconnecting the first control module and the second control module;
• a boom section select switch responsive to operator input for selecting one of the plurality of boom sections to be moved;
• a boom motion input switch responsive to operator input for providing a boom direction signal indicative of a desired direction of boom motion for the selected boom section to be moved and providing a desired boom speed;
• and
• a boom ramping controller, responsive to the boom section select switch and boom motion input switch, for controlling the hydraulic system to move the selected boom section in accordance with the boom direction signal, said boom ramping controller adapted to cause the hydraulic system to move the selected boom section at a varying velocity which does not exceed a preset maximum velocity so that the boom accelerates at a preset rate from zero velocity to the desired velocity.

An aerial work apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a platform;
• a boom having a plurality of boom sections connecting the platform and the base;
• a hydraulic system for moving the boom sections;
• and
• a boom control for controlling the hydraulic system in response to operator input to move boom sections in accordance with the operator input, said boom control comprising:
• a first control module on the base responsive to an operator for providing boom motion commands for causing the boom to move in a desired direction;
• a second control module on the platform responsive to an operator for providing boom motion commands for causing, the boom to move in a desired direction;
• and
• a controller area network interconnecting the first control module and the second control module;
• wherein said boom control is adapted to cause the hydraulic system to sequentially move the boom from one operator requested movement to the next operator requested movement based on a predefined parameter which defines the sequential functions of the boom or to simultaneously move the boom in a second direction in response to an operator requested movement while the boom is moving in response to a previous operator requested movement based on a predefined parameter which defines the simultaneous functions of the boom.

An aerial work apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a platform;
• a boom having a plurality of boom sections connecting the platform and the base;
• a hydraulic system for moving the boom sections;
• and
• a boom control for controlling the hydraulic system in response to operator input to move boom sections in accordance with the operator input, said boom control comprising:
• a first control module on the base responsive to an operator for providing boom motion commands for causing the boom to move in a desired direction;
• a second control module on the platform responsive to an operator for providing boom motion commands for causing the boom to move in a desired direction;
• and
• a controller area network interconnecting the first control module and the second control module;
• wherein the boom control includes:
• a safety subroutine or circuit for monitoring operator input requesting boom movement and for preventing the boom control from responding to operator input requesting boom movement in the event that there has been no operator input requesting boom movement for a first time period;
• and
• a power saver subroutine or circuit for monitoring operator input to the boom control, said power saver subroutine or circuit deactivating the boom control when the power saver subroutine or circuit detects no operator input to the boom control for a second time period.

An aerial work apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a platform;
• a boom having a plurality of boom sections connecting the platform and the base;
• a hydraulic system for moving the boom sections;
• and
• a boom control for controlling the hydraulic system in response to operator input to move the boom sections in accordance with the operator input, said boom control comprising:
• a boom section select switch response to operator input for selecting one of the plurality of boom sections to be moved;
• a boom motion input switch response to operator input for providing a boom direction signal indicative of a desired direction of boom motion for the selected boom section to be moved and providing a desired boom speed;
• and
• a boom ramping controller, responsive to the boom section select switch and boom motion input switch, for controlling the hydraulic system to move the selected boom section in accordance with the boom direction signal, said boom ramping controller adapted to cause the hydraulic system to move the selected boom section at a varying velocity which does not exceed a preset maximum velocity so that the boom accelerates at a preset rate from zero velocity to the desired velocity.

An aerial work apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a platform;
• a boom having a plurality of boom sections connecting the platform and the base;
• a hydraulic system for moving the boom sections;
• and
• a boom control for controlling the hydraulic system in response to operator input to move the boom sections in accordance with the operator input, said boom control comprising:
• a boom section select switch responsive to operator input for selecting only one of the plurality of boom sections to be moved;
• a boom motion input switch response to operator input for providing a boom direction signal indicative of a desired direction of boom motion;
• and
• a boom controller responsive to the boom section select switch and the boom motion input switch for controlling the hydraulic system to effect boom motion, said boom controller adapted to cause the hydraulic system to sequentially move the boom from one operator requested movement to the next operator requested movement based on a predefined parameter which defines the sequential functions of the boom or to simultaneously move the boom in a second direction in response to an operator requested movement while the boom is moving in response to a previous operator requested movement based on a predefined parameter which defines the simultaneous functions of the boom.

An aerial work platform comprising:

• a plurality of boom sections;
• a boom control for providing a motion output signal for controlling a motion of one of the plurality of boom sections in response to input from an operator to the boom control;
• and
• a timer subroutine or circuit comprising:
• a safety subroutine or circuit for monitoring operator input requesting boom movement and for preventing the boom control from responding to operator input requesting boom movement in the event that there has been no operator input requesting boom movement for a first time period;
• and
• a power saver subroutine or circuit for monitoring operator input to the boom control, said power saver subroutine or circuit deactivating the boom control when the power saver subroutine or circuit detects no operator input to the boom control for a second time period.

An aerial work apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a platform;
• a boom having a plurality of boom sections connecting the platform and the base;
• a hydraulic system for moving the boom sections;
• and
• a boom control for controlling the hydraulic system in response to operator input to move the boom sections in accordance with the operator input, said boom control comprising:
• a microprocessor having inputs for receiving, operator inputs and having outputs providing output signals which are a function of the operator input provided to the microprocessor input, said hydraulic system being responsive to the output signals;
• a first control card on the base and separate from the microprocessor, the first control card responsive to an operator for providing first boom motion command signals for causing the boom to move in a desired direction, said first boom motion command signals being supplied to the inputs of the microprocessor;
• a second control card on the platform and separate from the microprocessor, the second card responsive to an operator for providing second boom motion command signals for causing the boom to move in a desired direction, said second boom motion command signals being supplied to the inputs of the microprocessor;
• and
• a controller area network interconnecting said microprocessor, the first control card and the second control card.