Motor Grader Cross Slope Control With Articulation Compensation

Abstract

A motor grader is provided having cross slope cut angle control for providing accurate cuts generally, and particularly while the machine is travelling in other than a straight and level fashion. A controller is configured to adjust the cross slope angle of the blade, so that the cross slope cut angle corresponds to a desired cross slope cut angle. The controller receives a signal indicative of the desired cross slope cut angle and executing a pure pursuit procedure to identify a blade cross slope angle to yield the desired cross slope cut angle. The pure pursuit procedure includes identifying a blade travel direction, and identifying a horizontal component thereof. The blade edge is projected onto a plane perpendicular to the horizontal component of the blade travel direction, generating a slope function specifying the cross slope cut angle as a function of blade cross slope angle.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0001]The present disclosure relates to motor grader operation and, more particularly, relates to motor grader blade control for maintaining accurate cut control during cross slope operations.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]Motor graders are earth-moving machines that are employed in a variety of tasks, including as shaping tools to create banks, ditches, and berms, as surface preparation tools for scarification and other surface treatments, and as finishing tools to refine construction site surfaces and roadway surfaces to final shape and contour. Although not universally applicable, motor graders typically include a front frame and a rear frame that are joined at an articulation joint. The rear frame includes compartments for housing the power source and cooling components, the power source being operatively coupled to the rear wheels for primary propulsion of the machine. The rear wheels are typically arranged in tandem sets on opposing sides of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided for controlling a blade of a motor grader to provide a desired cross slope cut angle. The motor grader includes a frame having a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, and the blade has an edge and a center point, and is actuated by one or more blade slope actuators. A plurality of machine sensors are provided, and the method includes receiving a signal indicative of the desired cross slope cut angle, receiving one or more sensor signals from the plurality of sensors, and executing a pure pursuit procedure to identify a blade slope to yield the desired cross slope cut angle based on the one or more

Problems solved by technology

Given the variabilities in blade position, frame articulation, and wheel steering, it can be difficult for the operator to position the blade to produce a precise cut.

The difficulty in maintaining an accurate blade position during such a task is increased when the motor grader frame is also articulated, for example, when the machine is crabbing or turnin

Images