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US 8,616,297 B2Granted
Bulldozer including controller that performs automatic control of ripper
AssigneeKomatsu Ltd.
InventorsSatoru Shintani, Tomohiro Nakagawa, Ryouichi Nagasaka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bulldozer includes a body, a drive unit, a ripper, an operating lever, a steering lever, and a controller. The ripper is attached to a rear part of the body and performs ripping work. The operating lever is for operating the ripper. The steering lever is for controlling a travel operation by the drive unit. The controller executes a first control of pulling the ripper up out of the ground and a second control of tilting back the ripper, when it is detected that the ripping work has been ended by operation of the operating lever and the steering lever.
Claims7
A bulldozer comprising:
- a body;
- a drive unit configured to move the bulldozer;
- a ripper that is attached to a rear part of the body and performs ripping work;
- a ripper lifting device configured to raise and lower the ripper;
- a ripper tilting device configured to tilt the ripper in and out;
- an operating lever for operating the ripper, the operating lever being movably provided and configured to actuate the ripper lifting device and the ripper tilting device in accordance with a position of the operating lever;
- a steering lever that is movably provided and configured to control a travel operation by the drive unit in accordance with a movement direction of the steering lever;
- and
- a controller that is connected to send and receive signals from the operating lever, the steering lever, the ripper lifting device, and the ripper tilting device, the controller being configured to determine whether the ripping work has been ended based on the position of the operating lever and the movement direction of the steering lever, and automatically execute at least a first control of pulling the ripper up out of the ground by outputting a ripper lift command when the controller determines that the ripping work has been ended.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.