Work tool engagement system and method for utility vehicle

Abstract

According to an exemplary embodiment, a utility vehicle includes: a main frame; a work tool configured to move relative to the main frame to move material on a surface; a ground sensing device proximate the work tool, where the ground sensing device is configured to detect a contact between the work tool and the surface; a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing operational information; and an electronic processor configured to receive image data captured by the ground sensing device when the work tool passes the surface, and determine whether the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a utility vehicle. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a work tool engagement system for a utility vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Utility vehicles (e.g., motor graders, bulldozers, track-type tractors, feller bunchers, scrapers, excavators, skid steers and compact track loaders) often use a blade to move material. When operating a utility vehicle, the operator's position relative to the work tool may make it difficult to know whether the work tool is moving material (e.g., in contact with a surface / material) at any given time. This is particularly true during grading operations or other precision maneuvers. Summary of the invention

[0003] Examples of various aspects of the disclosure are set out in the claims.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a multi-purpose vehicle comprises: a main frame; a work tool, the work tool being configured to move relative to the main frame to move material on a surface; a ground contact sensing device proximate to the work tool, wherein the ground contact sensing device is configured to detect contact between the work tool and the surface; a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing operating information; and an electronic processor, the electronic processor being configured to: receive image data captured by the ground contact sensing device when the work tool passes over the surface, and determine whether the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a flatness monitoring system for a work vehicle operating on a surface, the control system comprising a work tool, the work tool being configured to move relative to a main frame to move material on the surface; a ground contact sensing device proximate to the work tool, wherein the ground contact sensing device is configured to detect contact between the work tool and the surface; a non-temporary computer-readable memory storing operating information; and an electronic processor, the electronic processor being configured to: receive image data captured by the ground contact sensing device connected to the work tool when the work tool passes over the surface, determine whether the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data, and generate completion data of the surface based on the image data after the work tool has passed over the surface.

[0006] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a method for operating a multi-purpose vehicle, the method comprising: moving a working tool on a surface; receiving, by a processor, image data captured by the contact sensing device, and determining, by the processor based on the image data, whether the working tool is in contact with the surface, wherein the completion data is based on the image data, and wherein the completion data of the surface is generated by the processor after the working tool has passed over the surface.

[0007] The above and other features will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] Figure 1 is a side view of a utility vehicle having a blade according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 2 is a side view of a utility vehicle having a contact sensing device proximate a work tool according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C is a side view of a utility vehicle having a work tool moving material on a surface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 4 is a representative diagram of a display showing an image of a position of a blade relative to a surface being leveled in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a work tool engagement system for a utility vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0014] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a method for operating a utility vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to denote the same elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] By referring to the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 6 To understand at least one exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the present disclosure.

[0017] Although the present disclosure has been described and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such description and description are not restrictive in nature, and it should be understood that (multiple) illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, and it is desired to protect all changes and modifications that fall within the spirit of the present disclosure. Alternative embodiments of the present disclosure may not include all of the features described, but still benefit from at least some of the advantages of these features. Those of ordinary skill in the art can design their own embodiments that incorporate one or more features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0018] When operating a utility vehicle, the operator's position relative to the work tool may make it difficult to see the amount of material being moved by the work tool at any given time. This can be challenging for a number of reasons. For example, it is beneficial for the operator to be able to see how much material is accumulating in or on the work tool or how little material is accumulating in or on the work tool when he wants to make adjustments based on changes in terrain or for other reasons. With limited visibility, the operator is slower to react to changing conditions. Having an improved view of the material being moved by the blade can improve the performance and accuracy of maneuvers performed by a utility vehicle.

[0019] Figure 1 is a side view of a utility vehicle having a blade according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 A utility vehicle is shown in the form of a motor grader 10. Although the utility vehicle is shown and described as a motor grader 10, the utility vehicle may include, for example, a dozer, a track-type tractor, a roller, a compactor, an excavator, a loader, a scraper, an excavator, a skid steer and compact track loaders, a milling machine, or any other utility vehicle that uses a work tool (e.g., a bucket, blade, push plate, etc.) to move material, including those that perform grading operations.

[0020] The motor grader 10 includes a main frame 12 and an articulated frame 14 that is pivotable relative to the main frame 12. A cab 13 is mounted atop the articulated frame 14. The cab 13 includes operator controls, such as Figure 4 A display unit 70 , shown and described in detail below, allows a human operator to control the vehicle 10 .

[0021] The articulated frame 14 includes a push plate (e.g., a blade) mounted thereon. The blade 26 is configured for spreading, leveling, or otherwise moving dirt or other material. To facilitate such operations, the blade 26 is mounted to the frame 14 so that the blade 26 is selectively movable in multiple directions. The draft frame 22 is connected to the articulated frame 14 toward the front via a ball joint. The circular frame 28 is connected to the draft frame 22 for rotation relative to the draft frame 22 by using a circular drive 38 mounted to the draft frame 22. The tilt frame 40 holds the blade 26 and is pivotally connected to the circular frame 28 for rotation relative to the draft frame 22 by using a tilt cylinder (in Figure 1 ) causes the tilting frame 40 and the blade 26 held by the tilting frame 40 to pivot relative to the circular frame 28 about the tilting axis.

[0022] The tilt cylinders are connected to the circular frame 28 and the tilt frame 40 so that actuation of the tilt cylinders 30 changes the spacing of the tilt frame 40 (and thus the push plate 26) relative to the circular frame 28. The left and right blade lift cylinders 34 (i.e., hydraulic lift cylinders) are connected to the saddle 36 (which in turn is fixed to the articulated frame 14) and the draft frame 22 so that actuation of the left and right blade lift cylinders 34 raises or lowers both sides of the draft frame 22 relative to the articulated frame 14, thereby raising or lowering the push plate 26 relative to the articulated frame 14.

[0023] Figure 2 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure Figure 1 Utility vehicle 10 may include a contact sensing device 50. Contact sensing device 50 may be connected to, for example, main frame 12 or other location (e.g., below cab 13 or on articulated frame 14, with circular frame 28, etc.) at a first location 54, where first location 54 is behind blade 26 (i.e., behind blade 26; closer to rear wheels 18). Contact sensing device 50 may be located at any suitable location on or near the work tool, on main frame 12, on circular frame 28, on tilt frame 40, or elsewhere on work vehicle 10. Contact sensing device 50 may be positioned to view the back side of blade 26 (i.e., the side closer to rear wheels 18) and a surface 56 near blade 26 (e.g., a surface that blade 26 has just passed over or a surface being leveled).

[0024] Contact sensing device 50 may detect the position of the ground relative to blade 26. For example, contact sensing device 50 may detect whether blade 26 is contacting the surface to achieve a desired flatness of surface 56, or detect whether blade 26 is not contacting surface 56.

[0025] For example, the upcoming terrain may include high spots (e.g., mounds, piles, ridges, etc.) and low spots (e.g., holes, depressions, etc.). When blade 26 is set to the desired location for grading, the blade will remove material from the high spots and drop it to grade, while attempting to fill the low spots with material picked up from the high spots. In some cases, there may not be enough material carried by blade 26 to fill the low spots, which will leave a low spot after blade 26 passes (although, it may or may not be that low). This low spot will cause the actual grade (i.e., the finished grade) to be different from the desired grade (i.e., the target grade, the planned grade, the grade control grade, etc.).

[0026] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B 2 is a side view of a utility vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein a work tool of the utility vehicle is moving material on a surface. As utility vehicle 10 moves, work tool 26 may be used to move material 66 (e.g., dirt, gravel, etc.) to shape surface 56 to a target flatness 62. The amount of material 66 collected by blade 26 may vary depending on, for example, the type of material, the height of the work tool, the angle of the work tool, the speed of the utility vehicle, weather conditions, material conditions, and other similar parameters.

[0027] As material 66 is accumulated along work tool 26, it may be spread along surface 56 to achieve target smoothness 62. In some areas of surface 56, high spots may be pushed down (i.e., leveled, smoothed, etc.) or low spots may be filled in with material 66 being carried by blade 26 as work tool 26 moves across surface 56. However, there may be areas along surface 56 that are not leveled to target smoothness 62. For example, there may be low spots on that pass that may not be filled, resulting in a finished smoothness that is different from target smoothness 62, or a piece of debris (e.g., a rock) may be carried along by work tool 26, thereby preventing target smoothness 62 from being achieved.

[0028] The target smoothness 62 can be set in a smoothness control system in which a utility vehicle can use the smoothness control data to smooth the surface to achieve the target smoothness. The finished smoothness is the surface after each smoothing. Ideally, the finished smoothness will match the target smoothness. However, as described herein, there may be situations where the finished smoothness deviates from the target smoothness.

[0029] As utility vehicle 10 moves material 66 along surface 56, a finished smoothness may be determined. The finished smoothness may differ from the target smoothness when the surface being leveled differs from the target smoothness (e.g., when low spots are not sufficiently filled such that the finished smoothness does not match the target smoothness) after blade 26 passes over surface 56. Contact sensing device 52 may capture images of the surface being leveled (by capturing a series of images), and may analyze each image to determine the finished smoothness and generate finish data.

[0030] The finished flatness data can be compared to the target flatness data, and the comparison results can be used to generate corrected flatness data. The corrected flatness data can be helpful when evaluating the next step in leveling the surface, as the deviation between the target flatness and the finished flatness will typically get worse with additional passes. With the corrected flatness data, remedial work can be performed to address issues with the surface being leveled.

[0031] Figure 4 is a representative diagram of a display showing an image of the position of a blade relative to a surface being leveled according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The display 70 may include an image 62 that may include the position of the blade 26 relative to the surface being leveled 56. The display 70 may also include information related to a target level and a finished level.

[0032] For example, as the terrain decreases (i.e., downward slope, drop, hole, increasing distance between blade and the surface, etc.), the amount of material 66 moved by blade 26 may decrease, resulting in less (or no) material 66 falling off the end of blade 32.

[0033] Alternatively, when the terrain rises (i.e., a bump, ridge, protrusion, mound, pile, a decrease in the distance between the blade and the surface, etc.), the amount of material 66 moved by blade 26 may increase, causing more material to fall off end 26A or 26B (or both ends) of blade 26.

[0034] The display 70 may display information about the grade monitoring system, such as the system status (eg, system on, system off, etc.).

[0035] Figure 5is a schematic diagram showing a levelness monitoring system for a utility vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The levelness monitoring system 80 may include a ground contact sensing device 50 connected to the work vehicle 10. The ground contact sensing device 50 is configured to capture a first image 58 (i.e., image data) that includes the blade 26 and the surface being leveled as described above. The ground contact sensing device 50 may include a lidar sensor, an acoustic wave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a camera. The ground contact sensing device 50 may be used to obtain an image (i.e., image data) that is evaluated to determine when the blade 26 is leveling the surface to the leveling control surface and / or when the surface being leveled deviates from the leveling control surface.

[0036] The flatness monitoring system 80 also has a non-transitory computer-readable memory 82 that stores image data 84. The non-transitory computer-readable memory 82 may include electronic memory, non-volatile random access memory, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or another device for storing and accessing electronic data on any recordable, rewritable, or readable electronic, optical, or magnetic storage medium.

[0037] An electronic processor 86 is provided that is configured to perform operations by controllably adjusting the position of the work tool 26 relative to the utility vehicle 10 and capturing and processing images from the ground contact sensing device 50 (and any additional imaging devices) of the grade monitoring system. The electronic processor 86 may be locally disposed as part of the utility vehicle 10, or remotely disposed at a remote processing center (not shown). In various embodiments, the electronic processor 86 may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a programmable logic array, a programmable logic controller, or other suitable programmable circuitry suitable for performing data processing and / or system control operations. The electronic processor 86 executes or otherwise relies on a computer software application, component, program, object, module, data structure, or the like. In response to a received signal, a software routine residing in an included memory or other memory of the electronic processor 86 is executed.

[0038] In other embodiments, the computer software application may be located in the cloud. The executed software includes one or more specific applications, components, programs, objects, modules, or sequences of instructions generally referred to as "program code". The program code includes one or more instructions located in a memory and other storage devices that execute instructions, which reside in the memory, in response to other instructions generated by the system, or provided by an operator interface 88 operated by a user (e.g., located in the cab or at a remote location). The electronic processor 86 is configured to execute the stored program instructions.

[0039] Figure 61 is a flow chart of a method for operating a utility vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 100 for monitoring grading performed by a utility vehicle may include a step 102 of moving a work tool over a surface, a step 104 of receiving, by a processor, image data captured by a contact sensing device, a step 106 of determining, by the processor, whether the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data; and a step 108 of generating, by the processor, as-built data of the surface after the work tool has passed over the surface, wherein the as-built data is based on the image data.

[0040] The method 100 may also include a step 110 of comparing the as-built data to the flatness control data and a step 112 of generating correction data for the surface. Based on the analysis of the image, an estimate of the volume of material being moved by the work tool may be determined. The method 100 may also include a step 114 of displaying the correction data on a display.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose vehicle comprising: Main frame; a work tool configured to move relative to the main frame to move material on a surface; a contact sensing device proximate the work tool, wherein the contact sensing device is configured to detect contact between the work tool and the surface; a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing operational information; as well as An electronic processor configured to: receiving image data captured by the contact sensing device as the work tool passes over the surface, A determination is made based on the image data whether the work tool is in contact with the surface.

2. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The working tool includes one or more of a blade, a bucket, a scraper and a drum.

3. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The ground sensing device includes a lidar sensor, an acoustic wave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or a camera.

4. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The electronic processor is further configured to: As-built data for the surface is generated after the work tool has traversed the surface.

5. The utility vehicle according to claim 4, wherein: The electronic processor is further configured to: comparing the as-built data of the surface with the flatness control data of the surface, and Correction data for the surface is generated.

6. The utility vehicle of claim 4 further comprising a display, and wherein: The processor is further configured to display one or more of the surface, the flatness control data, and the finish data on the display.

7. A flatness monitoring system for a work vehicle operating on a surface, the flatness monitoring system comprising: a work tool, the work tool being configured to move material on the surface, the work tool being configured to move relative to the main frame on the surface; a contact sensing device proximate the work tool, wherein the contact sensing device is configured to detect contact between the work tool and the surface; a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing operational information; as well as An electronic processor configured to: receiving image data captured by the contact sensing device coupled to the work tool as the work tool passes over the surface, determining whether the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data, After the work tool has passed over the surface, as-built data for the surface is generated based on the image data.

8. The flatness monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein: The working tool includes one or more of a blade, a bucket, a scraper and a drum.

9. The flatness monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein: The ground sensing device includes a lidar sensor, an acoustic wave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or a camera.

10. The flatness monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein: The electronic processor is further configured to: comparing the as-built data with the flatness control data, and Correction data for the surface is generated.

11. The flatness monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein: The electronic processor is further configured to display the completion data on a display.

12. A method of operating a utility vehicle, the method comprising: moving a work tool across a surface; receiving, by a processor, image data captured by a ground sensing device, determining, by the processor, whether the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data, and After the work tool has passed over the surface, as-built data for the surface is generated by the processor, wherein the as-built data is based on the image data.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The method also includes displaying the as-built data on a display.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: comparing the as-built data with the flatness control data, and Correction data for the surface is generated.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: The correction data is displayed on a display.

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