US 9,567,725 B2Granted

Swing automation for rope shovel

AssigneeHarnischfeger Technologies, Inc.

InventorsWesley P. Taylor, Michael J. Linstroth

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A system and method for various levels of automation of a swing-to-hopper motion for a rope shovel. An operator controls a rope shovel during a dig operation to load a dipper with materials. A controller receives position data, either via operator input or sensor data, for the dipper and a hopper where the materials are to be dumped. The controller then calculates an ideal path for the dipper to travel to be positioned above the hopper to dump the contents of the dipper. In some embodiments, the controller outputs operator feedback to assist the operator in traveling along the ideal path to the hopper. In some embodiments, the controller restricts the dipper motion such that the operator is not able to deviate beyond certain limits of the ideal path. In some embodiments, the controller automatically controls the movement of the dipper to reach the hopper.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A shovel including an automated swing system, the shovel comprising:

a dipper that is operable to dig and dump materials and that is positioned via operation of one or more motors;
and
a controller including a processor and a memory, the controller configured to
receive operator controls related to controlling movement of the dipper using the one or more motors,
receive dump location information indicating a desired position of the dipper corresponding to a dump location at which the dipper is to dump the materials,
receive information indicating a performance limit of the one or more motors,
receive dipper data related to at least one selected from the group consisting of a dipper position, a dipper movement, and a dipper state, the dipper data including a parameter of the one or more motors,
calculate an ideal dipper path of the dipper based on the dump location, the information, and the dipper data,
generate boundaries for the ideal dipper path, and
compare the dipper data to the boundaries, and when the dipper data indicates that the dipper is at or outside of the boundaries, adjust the operator controls to maintain the dipper within the boundaries.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/067,353Filed 11 Mar 2016 · continuation
Priority: 14 Apr 2011
Published: US 2016/0194850 A17 Jul 2016
Granted: 14 Feb 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

E02F 9/264
Indicating devices: sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool
E02F 3/308
With a dipper-arm pivoted on a cantilever beam , i.e. boom: working outwardly
E02F 3/435
Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations: for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like
E02F 3/437
For dipper-arms, backhoes or the like: providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant

Family

Application61/475,474Us provisional application · filed 14 Apr 2011
Application13/446,817Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Apr 2012
Application14/321,511Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jul 2014
US 8,768,579 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Jul 2014
US 2016/0194850 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Jul 2016
US 9,315,967 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2012/0263566 A1Published application
US 2014/0365082 A1Published application
US 9,567,725 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.