Method for operating work vehicle according to maximum permissible swing speed

Abstract

A method of operating a work vehicle (10) is provided. A work vehicle (10) comprises a swing device (11) rotatable about a swing axis (33), where the swing device (11) comprises an arm structure (14) comprising a boom (16) and an arm (17). The method comprises determining, by the control system (50), a moment of inertia of the oscillating device (11) and determining a maximum permissible oscillating speed at which the oscillating device (11) rotates about the oscillating axis (33). The maximum permissible swing speed stops displacement based on the determined moment of inertia and a predetermined maximum angle. The method further comprises limiting a maximum operating swing speed of the swing device (11) to a maximum permissible swing speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a work vehicle according to a maximum allowable swing speed, a controller configured to perform such a method, and a work vehicle configured to operate according to such a method. Background Art

[0002] Work vehicles or machines such as excavators or backhoe loaders have various degrees of freedom. One such degree of freedom is swing, which refers to the rotation of the body relative to its undercarriage, or the rotation of the arm structure relative to the body. Various characteristics affect swing characteristics, including the swing speed and swing acceleration of the work vehicle. For example, the position of its components (e.g., the position of the arm structure and / or the tool) can change the moment of inertia. This can affect the rate at which the swing speed can be increased or decreased. Additionally, the configuration of the work vehicle (e.g., the type of tool attached) may affect the moment of inertia and thus the rate at which the swing speed can be increased or decreased.

[0003] Importantly, the swing speed can be reduced to zero within a certain distance or time to allow the operator to quickly stop the swing, for example when an obstacle or danger within a safe distance is detected.

[0004] In addition to this general requirement, European regulation EN 474 also requires that work vehicles, particularly excavators, must be able to stop from full speed within a safe distance. This requirement previously specified that this be achieved through the most common configuration of the work vehicle. European regulation EN 474 has been updated to require that work vehicles must be able to stop within a safe distance in each available configuration. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An object of the present disclosure may be to provide a method for limiting the maximum operating swing speed of a work vehicle to allow the work vehicle to reduce its swing speed to zero within a safe distance. Another object is to ensure that such a method operates on different authorized configurations of the work vehicle. Additionally, another object is to ensure that such a method does not overly reduce the swing speed of the work vehicle. If the swing speed is overly reduced, the operator may notice this during single-function and some multi-function operations.

[0006] The present disclosure generally relates to limiting the maximum operating swing speed of a swing device (e.g., the body of an excavator) of a work vehicle such that it can stop within a safe distance and / or angle. A control system is configured to determine the moment of inertia of the swing device and, given the moment of inertia, determine the maximum swing speed that will allow the work vehicle to slow down to zero within a safe distance. This is then set as the maximum operating swing speed of the swing device.

[0007] The maximum swing speed can be continuously updated as the moment of inertia of the work vehicle (by changing, for example, the position of the boom structure) changes. Alternatively, the moment of inertia of the swing device can be determined once for a configuration (e.g., a specific configuration of a tool attached to the boom structure) based on the maximum possible moment of inertia for that configuration and not updated as long as the vehicle has the same configuration. The maximum operating swing speed of the swing device can be set to the maximum swing speed that will allow the work vehicle to slow down to zero within a safe distance when the work vehicle has the maximum possible moment of inertia for that configuration. Alternatively, the maximum operating swing speed of the swing device can be adjusted based on the position of the boom structure without recalculating the moment of inertia.

[0008] The present disclosure provides a method of operating a work vehicle that includes a swing device rotatable about a swing axis, where the swing device includes a boom structure that includes a boom and a stick. The method includes determining, by a control system, the moment of inertia of the swing device and determining a maximum allowable swing speed of the swing device about the swing axis. The maximum allowable swing speed is based on the determined moment of inertia and a predetermined maximum angular stop displacement. The method further includes limiting a maximum operating swing speed of the swing device to the maximum allowable swing speed.

[0009] The present disclosure also provides a controller for controlling a work vehicle that includes a swing device rotatable about a swing axis, where the swing device includes a boom structure that includes a boom and a stick. The controller is configured to determine the moment of inertia of the swing device and determine a maximum allowable swing speed of the swing device about the swing axis. The maximum allowable swing speed is based on the determined moment of inertia and a predetermined maximum angular stop displacement. The controller is further configured to limit a maximum operating swing speed of the swing device to the maximum allowable swing speed.

[0010] The present disclosure also provides a work vehicle that includes: a swing device rotatable about a swing axis, where the swing device includes a boom structure that includes a boom and a stick; and a control system that includes the above-described controller.

[0011] By way of example only, embodiments according to the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings and as shown in the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the system of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a top elevational view of the system of;

[0014] Figure 3 isFigure 1 Schematic diagram of the control system of the system;

[0015] Figure 4 Is a flowchart showing a method for limiting the maximum operating swing speed of a swing device according to the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 5 Is a flowchart showing a method for determining the moment of inertia of a swing device according to the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 6 Is a flowchart showing Figure 4 Another embodiment of the method;

[0018] Figure 7 Is a flowchart showing a method for determining the static moment of inertia of a swing device according to the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 8 Is a flowchart showing Figure 4 Another embodiment of the method; and

[0020] Figure 9 Is a graph showing the relationship between the component position of a swing device and the maximum allowable swing speed according to the present disclosure. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0021] The following description only provides (a) preferred exemplary embodiment(s), and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present invention. On the contrary, the following description of (a) preferred exemplary embodiment(s) will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing the preferred exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention. It should be understood that various changes can be made to the functions and arrangements of the elements (including combinations of features from different embodiments) without departing from the scope of the present invention. Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques can be shown without unnecessary details to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0022] In addition, it should be noted that embodiments can be described as processes depicted as flowcharts, flow diagrams, data flow diagrams, structure diagrams, or block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe operations as a sequential process, many operations can be performed in parallel or simultaneously. Additionally, the order of the operations can be rearranged. A process terminates when its operations are completed, but it can have additional steps not included in the figure. A process can correspond to a method, function, program, subroutine, subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination corresponds to the function returning to the calling function or the main function. Further, as disclosed herein, the term "storage medium" can represent one or more devices for storing data, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic RAM, core memory, disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, and / or other machine-readable media for storing information. The term "computer-readable medium" includes, but is not limited to, portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wireless channels, and various other media capable of storing, containing, or carrying instructions and / or data.

[0023] In addition, embodiments can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, a hardware description language, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware, or microcode, the program code or code segments for performing the necessary tasks can be stored in a machine-readable medium such as a storage medium. One or more processors can perform the necessary tasks. A code segment can represent a process, function, subroutine, program, routine, subroutine, module, software package, class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements. A code segment can be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and / or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc. can be passed, forwarded, or transmitted by any suitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, etc.

[0024] It should be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing various features of the embodiments. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and structures are described below. Of course, these are only examples and are not intended to be limiting. Additionally, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and / or letters in various examples. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity purposes and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed. Further, forming a first feature above or on top of a second feature in subsequent descriptions can include embodiments where the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and can also include embodiments where additional features can be formed between the first and second features such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.

[0025] Figure 1An embodiment of a system 9 including a work vehicle 10, which is an excavator in this case, is shown. The work vehicle 10 can be any suitable type of work vehicle 10, including multi-purpose work vehicles such as excavators, backhoe loaders, loaders, bulldozers, scrapers, loggers, harvesters, material handlers, and other such work vehicles. The work vehicle 10 includes a swing device 11 and may include a swing base 13. The swing device 11 includes an arm structure 14. The swing device 11 may include a body 12. The swing base 13 may include a chassis 32 and / or a platform. The chassis 32 may include wheels or tracks 20. The body 12 may include a cab 8 for the operator and a power unit (not shown) therein for providing power to the wheels or tracks 20.

[0026] The swing device 11 may be attached to the swing base 13 via a rotary mount 31. The rotary mount 31 may allow the swing device 11 to rotate relative to the swing base 13. The rotary mount 31 may include a slip ring or a slewing ring. The rotation of the swing device 11 relative to the swing base 13 may be actuated using a swing actuator 30. The swing actuator 30 may include a hydraulic motor or a hydraulic swivel.

[0027] The swing device 11 may rotate about a swing axis 33. The swing device 11 may be capable of rotating 360 degrees relative to the swing base 13 about the rotary mount 31 and / or the swing axis 33. When the work vehicle 10 is on a horizontal surface, the swing axis 33 may be perpendicular to the swing base 13 and / or may be perpendicular to the horizontal plane or the ground. The swing axis 33 may be the central axis of the rotary mount 31 and may be the axis of rotation of the swing device 11 relative to the swing base 13 at the rotary mount 31.

[0028] The arm structure 14 includes a boom 16 and a stick 17. The boom 16 and the stick 17 may be pivotally attached to each other. The boom 16 may be pivotally attached to the body 12 at a first end of the boom 16. The stick 17 may be pivotally attached to the boom 16 at a second end of the boom 16 and a first end of the stick 17. A tool 15 may be connected to the arm structure 14. The tool 15 may be pivotally attached to the stick 17 at a second end of the stick 17. The arm structure 14 may include at least one hydraulic actuator 18, 19, 21 for controlling its orientation. In particular, the arm structure 14 may include a boom hydraulic actuator 18 for controlling the orientation and movement of the boom 16. The arm structure 14 may include a stick hydraulic actuator 19 for controlling the orientation and movement of the stick 17. The arm structure 14 may include a tool hydraulic actuator 21 for controlling the orientation and movement of the tool 15.

[0029] The tool 15 can be of any suitable type. The tool 15 can be, for example, a bucket as shown in the figure, or can be a grapple, a tilt bucket, a tilt rotator, a hammer, a handling arm, a multi-processor, a crusher, a saw, a shear, a blower, a grinder, a tiller, a trencher, a winch, an auger, a broom, a cutter, a planer, a pruner, a log cutter, a mulcher, or a rake. The tool 15 can include a sprinkler head or the like, which is used to provide water spraying during the operation of the work vehicle 10, for example, for dust suppression. The fluid can be pressurized hydraulic fluid, water, etc.

[0030] The work vehicle 10 can be operated in at least one configuration, can be configured in at least one configuration, and / or includes at least one configuration. The configuration can refer to one or more of the swing device 11 measurement; the swing base 13 measurement; the boom 16 measurement; the arm 17 measurement; the body 12 measurement; the cab 8 measurement; the tool 15 measurement; and / or the type of the tool 15. The above measurements can be dimensional measurements and / or weight measurements. The dimensional measurement can be length, width, depth, area, and / or volume. The weight measurement can be weight or mass.

[0031] The work vehicle 10 can be oriented in a component position and / or includes a component position. The component position can include the boom 16 position; the arm 17 position; and / or the tool 15 position. The position can be defined by the component angle. The position can be defined by the component cylinder extension. The component position can include the arm structure 14 position or the link position. Each configuration of the work vehicle 10 can be capable of having multiple different component positions.

[0032] The boom 16 can include a boom axis 35. The boom axis 35 can be an axis parallel to the direction in which the boom 16 extends for most of its length. The arm 17 can include an arm axis 37. The arm axis 37 can be an axis parallel to the direction in which the arm 17 extends for most of its length. The boom angle 39 can be the angle between the boom axis 35 and the swing axis 33. The arm angle 41 can be the angle between the boom axis 35 and the arm axis 37. The boom angle 39 and / or the arm angle 41 can be used to define the component position. The global angle measured with respect to the horizontal plane for each axis can be used to define the component position.

[0033] The boom, arm, and tool hydraulic actuators 18, 19, 21 can each include a hydraulic cylinder and a piston rod. Hydraulic fluid can be supplied to the actuator to displace the rod relative to the cylinder. The boom hydraulic actuator 18 can include a boom hydraulic piston rod (not shown). The arm hydraulic actuator 19 can include an arm hydraulic piston rod 5. When the arm hydraulic piston rod and / or the arm hydraulic piston rod 5 extends, the component position can change. The extension of the boom hydraulic piston rod and / or the extension of the arm hydraulic piston rod can be used to define the component position.

[0034] Figure 2 A plan view provides Figure 1 an illustration of a work vehicle 10, in which a swing axis 33 is shown as a point. The work vehicle may include a reference travel axis 43. The reference travel axis 43 may be substantially horizontal with respect to the ground 33, lie in the same plane as the horizontal plane, and may pass through and / or be perpendicular to the swing axis 33. When the crawlers 20 are simultaneously actuated with the same input, the reference travel axis 43 may be parallel to the direction in which the work vehicle travels. When a forward command is given, the reference travel axis 43 may be parallel to the direction in which the work vehicle 10 travels.

[0035] The work vehicle 10 may include a swing device axis 45. The swing device axis 45 may lie in the same plane as the horizontal plane and / or may lie in the same plane as the reference travel axis 43. The swing device axis 45 may be parallel to the extending direction of the arm structure 14 (as Figure 2 shown), and may pass through and / or be perpendicular to the swing axis 33. The swing device axis 45 may be parallel to the direction in which the operator faces when sitting in the cab 8.

[0036] The work vehicle 10 may include a swing angle θ. The swing angle θ may be defined as the angle measured between the reference travel axis 43 and the swing device axis 45. When the swing angle θ increases or decreases, the swing device 11 may rotate about the swing axis 33 at a swing speed ω. The swing device 11 may rotate relative to the swing base 13 at a swing speed ω. The swing device 11 may rotate about the swing axis 33 in the swing direction (clockwise or counterclockwise). The swing speed ω may be a swing speed including the swing direction.

[0037] The work vehicle 10 may include a work vehicle fluid circuit (not shown), through which fluid may circulate. The work vehicle 10 may include a controller 51 for automatically or based on an input received from at least one input device 6 ( Figure 1 shown) controlling the work vehicle fluid circuit. The at least one input device 6 may include one or more of a joystick, a display 57, a touch screen, a button, or any suitable input device. The at least one input device 6 may be used to operate the work vehicle 10. The work vehicle 10 may be operated to change the position of components. The work vehicle fluid circuit may be connected to at least one of the hydraulic actuators 18, 19, 21. Changing the position of components may include controlling at least one of the hydraulic actuators 18, 19, 21 to pivot the arm structure 14 and the tool 15. The work vehicle 10 may be operated to increase or decrease the swing angle θ. The work vehicle fluid circuit may be connected to a swing actuator 30 and a swing brake 34, which is used to control the swing of the swing device 11 relative to the swing base 13.

[0038] The swing speed ω can be controlled and / or influenced by at least one input device 6. When the input to the at least one input device 6 indicates an increase, the swing speed ω can increase. When the input to the input device 6 indicates a decrease, the swing speed ω can decrease. When a 100% speed input is provided to the at least one input device 6, the swing speed ω can increase towards the maximum operating swing speed of the work vehicle. When a 0% speed input is provided to the at least one input device, the swing speed ω can decrease towards zero swing speed ω, or the swing speed ω can remain at zero.

[0039] To reduce the swing speed ω, the system 9 can apply the swing brake 34 and / or can stop applying torque by the swing actuator 30. The system 9 can apply the swing brake 34 to the rotary mount 31 and / or the swing actuator 30. The swing brake 34 can apply a braking torque τ in a direction opposite to the swing direction. b . The swing brake 34 can reduce the swing speed ω. The swing brake 34 can reduce the swing speed ω to zero.

[0040] For safety reasons, it may be beneficial for the system 9 to be able to reduce the swing speed ω to zero within a predetermined maximum angular stopping displacement θ. s Furthermore, there is a regulatory requirement for the system 9 to be able to reduce the swing speed ω to zero within a predetermined maximum angular stopping displacement θ. s The predetermined maximum angular stopping displacement θ s can be a 90-degree angular displacement. It may be required that the system 9 be able to reduce the swing speed ω from the maximum operating swing speed to zero within a predetermined angular displacement. It may be required that the system 9 be able to reduce the swing speed ω from the maximum operating swing speed to zero within a 90-degree angular displacement. It may be required that the system 9 be able to reduce the swing speed ω to zero within a predetermined maximum angular stopping displacement θ s regardless of the configuration and / or component positions of the work vehicle 10. Instead of the predetermined maximum angular stopping displacement θ s , a different metric can be used, such as a predetermined maximum stopping time.

[0041] The swing device 11 includes a moment of inertia J. The moment of inertia J is a physical quantity of the body that represents the body's resistance to changes in angular velocity. The moment of inertia J affects the ability of the system 9 to reduce the swing speed ω to zero within a predetermined maximum angular stopping displacement θ. s A larger moment of inertia J makes it require a larger angular displacement to reduce the swing speed ω to zero and makes it require a lower swing speed such that the swing speed ω can be reduced to zero within a predetermined maximum angular stopping displacement θ. s

[0042] The moment of inertia J can be related to the braking torque τ b and the angular deceleration experienced during braking by the following formula:

[0043] τ b = Jα

[0044] where α is the angular deceleration and is the rate of change of the swing speed ω.

[0045] The moment of inertia J about the axis can be defined as the sum of products obtained by multiplying the mass of each particle of matter in a given body by the square of its distance from the axis. The moment of inertia J of the swing device 11 can be higher when a tool 15 with a larger mass is attached to the arm structure 14, and can be lower when a tool 15 with a smaller mass is attached to the arm structure 14. The moment of inertia J of the swing device 11 can be higher when the component position is such that the arm structure 14 extends a longer distance from the swing axis 33, and can be lower when the component position is such that the arm structure 14 extends a shorter distance from the swing axis 33. When the work vehicle 10 is in use, the moment of inertia J can change continuously and is thus not a known design parameter of the work vehicle 10.

[0046] The system 9 can include a control system 50, and the control system can be configured to execute the methods of the present disclosure. As Figure 3 shown, the control system 50 can include a controller 51, the controller can include a memory 53 and a processing unit 55, the memory can store instructions or algorithms in the form of data, and the processing unit can be configured to perform operations based on the instructions. The controller 51 can be any suitable known type and can include an engine control unit (ECU), etc. The memory 53 can include any suitable computer-accessible or non-transitory storage medium for storing computer program instructions, such as RAM, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, RDRAM, SRAM, ROM, magnetic media, optical media, etc. The processing unit 55 can include any suitable processor capable of executing the instructions stored in the memory, such as a microprocessor, a single processor, a multi-processor, etc. The controller 51 can also include a graphics processing unit for rendering objects for viewing on a display 57 of the control system 50. The controller 51 can also communicate with at least one work vehicle communication module 59 to transmit data with an external computing system 61 via a wired or wireless network 63 (such as Ethernet, fiber optic, satellite communication network, broadband communication network, cellular, Bluetooth). The external computing system 61 can include a computing system, a processor, a server, a memory, a database, a control system, etc.

[0047] As Figure 3 shown, the system 9 can include at least one system actuator 4. The at least one system actuator 4 can include one or more of a boom, a stick, and tool hydraulic actuators 18, 19, 21, a swing actuator 30, and a swing brake 34.

[0048] System 9 may include at least one sensor 7. The at least one sensor 7 may include one or more of a swing angle sensor 71, at least one movement or acceleration sensor 73, at least one component position sensor 75, a boom pressure sensor 77, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a pressure sensor. To reduce the complexity of the work vehicle 10, it may be beneficial to reduce the number of necessary sensors. For example, it may be beneficial for the work vehicle 10 not to include the swing angle sensor 71 if possible.

[0049] The controller 51 may be communicatively connected (via a wired or wireless connection) to the power unit, and to any one of at least one system actuator 4 and / or at least one sensor 7 to provide control signals thereto and receive sensor signals therefrom in order to control the operation of the work vehicle 10. The controller 51 may communicate with the input device 6 to receive inputs and control the work vehicle 10. The input device 6 may communicate with the controller 51 to control the actuation of the swing actuator 30 and / or the swing brake 34 to adjust the swing speed ω and / or the swing angle θ of the swing device 11. The input device 6 may increase or decrease the swing speed ω of the swing device 11 relative to the swing base 13.

[0050] The controller 51 may receive operating state data indicative of at least one operating state of the work vehicle 10 by communicatively coupling with at least one sensor 7 and at least one system actuator 4. The controller 51 may process the received operating state data to determine additional operating state data, and may store the operating state data on the memory 53. The at least one operating state and operating state data may include at least one of the following:

[0051] - The swing angle θ of the work vehicle 10 relative to a reference travel axis 43 (as Figure 2 shown). The control system 50 may include a swing angle sensor 71 for determining the swing angle θ of the work vehicle 10;

[0052] - The swing speed ω of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 may include at least one movement or acceleration sensor 73 for determining the swing speed ω of the work vehicle 10;

[0053] - The component positions of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 may include at least one component position sensor 75 for determining the component positions of the work vehicle 10. The at least one component position sensor 75 may be mounted to the swing device 11. The at least one component position sensor 75 may include at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU);

[0054] - The boom position, stick position, and / or tool position of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 may include at least one component position sensor 75 attached to the boom 16, stick 17, and / or tool 15 for determining the position of the boom 16, stick 17, and / or tool 15 of the work vehicle 10. The at least one component position sensor 75 may include at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to the boom 16, stick 17, and / or tool 15;

[0055] - The movement and / or acceleration of components of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 may include at least one movement or acceleration sensor 73 for determining the movement and / or acceleration of components of the work vehicle 10. The at least one movement or acceleration sensor 73 may be mounted to the swing device 11. The at least one movement or acceleration sensor 73 may be at least one accelerometer;

[0056] - Boom movement and / or acceleration; stick movement and / or acceleration; and / or tool movement and / or acceleration. The control system 50 may include at least one movement or acceleration sensor 73 attached to the boom 16, stick 17, and / or tool 15 for determining the movement and / or acceleration of the boom 16, stick 17, and / or tool 15. The at least one movement or acceleration sensor 73 may include at least one accelerometer attached to the boom 16, stick 17, and / or tool 15;

[0057] - The boom and / or stick angle of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 may include a component position sensor 75, such as an IMU, for determining the boom and / or stick angle of the work vehicle 10;

[0058] - The boom and / or stick hydraulic piston rod extension of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 may include a component position sensor 75, such as an IMU, for determining the boom and / or stick hydraulic piston rod extension of the work vehicle 10;

[0059] - The boom head end pressure of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 may include a boom pressure sensor 77 within the boom hydraulic cylinder 18 for determining the boom head end pressure of the work vehicle 10;

[0060] - The configuration of the work vehicle 10. The configuration of the work vehicle 10 may be input by the operator via at least one input device 6; stored on the memory 53; and / or automatically detected using work vehicle sensors;

[0061] - The braking torque τ of the swing brake 34 of the work vehicle 10 b . The braking torque τ bCan be input by an operator via at least one input device, stored on the memory 53, and / or estimated based on changes in component movement and / or acceleration when applying the swing brake 34. The braking torque τ applied at any time b Can be based on an input to at least one input device 6. A 0% input to at least one input device 6 can cause the maximum braking torque τ b,max To be applied by the swing brake 34;

[0062] - The actuation torque τ of the swing actuator 30 of the work vehicle 10 a . The actuation torque τ a Can be input by an operator via at least one input device, stored on the memory 53, and / or estimated based on changes in component movement and / or acceleration when applying the swing actuator 30. The actuation torque τ a Can be based on an input to at least one input device 6;

[0063] - The maximum operating swing speed of the work vehicle. The maximum operating swing speed of the work vehicle can be determined according to the method of the present disclosure;

[0064] - The maximum allowable swing speed ω of the work vehicle max . The maximum allowable swing speed ω of the work vehicle max Can be determined according to the method of the present disclosure; and

[0065] - A predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s . The predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s Can be input by an operator via at least one input device and / or stored on the memory 53. The predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s Can be set by regulatory and / or safety requirements.

[0066] The operating state data collected by the control system 50 can be transmitted to an external computing system 61 that can execute the method of the present disclosure. Thus, in the present disclosure, the control system 50 can be considered to include the external computing system 61, which can have instructions stored thereon for performing the method disclosed herein in a manner similar to the controller 51.

[0067] As Figure 4 Shown in, the method of operating the work vehicle 10 includes: determining the moment of inertia J of the swing device 11; determining the maximum allowable swing speed ω of the swing device 11 rotating about the swing axis 33 max ; and limiting the maximum operating swing speed of the swing device 11 to the maximum allowable swing speed ω max . The maximum allowable swing speed ω max Is based on the determined moment of inertia J and the predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ sIt is determined by the control system 50.

[0068] The maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be determined based on the determined moment of inertia J such that the swing device 11 can swing at a speed ω that slows down to zero within a predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s . The maximum allowable swing speed ω can be found by comparing the moment of inertia J and the predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s with a look-up table to find the appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω max to determine the maximum allowable swing speed ω max . The look-up table can be prepared by experimental and / or empirical methods to find the appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω s for a given moment of inertia J and a predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ max .

[0069] The maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be further based on the maximum braking torque τ of the work vehicle 10 for slowing down the rotation of the swing device 11 about the swing axis 33 b,max . The maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be calculated according to the following formula using the determined moment of inertia J, the maximum braking torque τ b,max and the predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s :

[0070]

[0071] The determined moment of inertia J, the braking torque τ b and the predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s can be used to determine the maximum allowable swing speed ω by comparing the moment of inertia J, the braking torque τ b and the predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s with a look-up table to find the maximum allowable swing speed ω max to determine the maximum allowable swing speed ω max . The look-up table can be prepared by experimental and empirical methods to find the appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω b for a given moment of inertia J, the braking torque τ s and the predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ max .

[0072] As Figure 5 shown, the moment of inertia J of the swing device 11 can be determined based on the component position data, the movement or acceleration data, and / or the configuration data of the work vehicle 10. The moment of inertia J of the swing device 11 can be determined based on the sensor data from at least one sensor 7.

[0073] The moment of inertia J of the swing device 11 can be determined based on work vehicle component position data from at least one component position sensor 75. The work vehicle component position data can include boom position; arm position; and / or tool position data from at least one component position sensor 75. The control system 50 can use the work vehicle component position data to calculate and / or model the moment of inertia J. The control system 50 can input the component position data into a simulation, computational model, and / or digital twin of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 can calculate and / or model the moment of inertia J of the simulation, computational model, and / or digital twin. The control system 50 can calculate and / or model the moment of inertia J by summing the products obtained by multiplying the mass of each material particle in the swing device 11 by the square of its distance from the swing axis 33. The control system 50 can estimate the moment of inertia J using the following formula:

[0074] J = m·r 2

[0075] where m is the mass of each part of the swing device and r is the distance of that part from the swing axis 33. The distance r can be calculated based on the dimensions and component positions of the work vehicle 10. Then the control system 50 can use the calculated and / or modeled moment of inertia J as the determined moment of inertia J to determine the maximum allowable swing speed ω max . The moment of inertia J can be determined by using the component position data to compare the component position data with a look-up table to find the moment of inertia J. The look-up table can be prepared by experimental and empirical methods to find the correct moment of inertia J for the given component position data.

[0076] The moment of inertia J of the swing device 11 can be determined based on movement or acceleration data from at least one movement or acceleration sensor 73. The moment of inertia J of the swing device 11 can be determined using torque data. The torque data can be data regarding the torque applied to increase or decrease the swing speed ω of the work vehicle. The torque can be the braking torque τ of the swing brake 34 b and / or the actuation torque τ of the swing actuator 30 a . The torque data can include any drag torque due to friction τ f . The torque data can include the total torque τ equal to the sum of the torques T . The moment of inertia J can be calculated as the moment of inertia required for the total torque τ applied at a certain time T，t to result in the acceleration α at that time t . When the swing speed ω of the work vehicle 10 is changed from a first swing speed to a second swing speed within the swing angle by the total torque, the average value can be used to calculate the moment of inertia J.

[0077] The moment of inertia J of the work vehicle 10 can be determined based on the configuration data of the work vehicle 10. The configuration data can indicate the dimensions and / or weights of at least a part of the swing device 11. The configuration data can indicate the configuration of the work vehicle 11. At least a part of the configuration data can be obtained from user input. The user can input to the input device 6 the type of the tool 15 and / or the weight of the tool 15 attached to the arm structure 14. A variety of predetermined configurations can be provided for the user to select from. The user can be able to select one of the predetermined configurations using at least one input device 6 (such as the display 57). When the work vehicle 10 is used in a non-standard configuration and / or when the user uses a configuration not envisioned by the manufacturer of the work vehicle 10, the user can be able to create a custom configuration.

[0078] The control system 50 can input the configuration data into the simulation, computational model, and / or digital twin of the work vehicle 10. The control system 50 can calculate and / or model the moment of inertia J of the simulation, computational model, and / or digital twin. The control system 50 can calculate and / or model the moment of inertia J by summing the products obtained by multiplying the mass of each material particle in the work vehicle 10 by the square of its distance from the swing axis 33. Then the control system 50 can use the calculated and / or modeled moment of inertia J as the determined moment of inertia J to determine the maximum allowable swing speed ω max 。

[0079] Artificial intelligence and / or machine learning techniques (such as neural networks and / or deep learning) can be used to determine the moment of inertia J. Training data including component position data, movement or acceleration data, configuration data, and moment of inertia data can be used to train the neural network. The training data can include input data, which includes component position data, movement or acceleration data, and configuration data. The training data can include target data, which includes moment of inertia data. Since the behavior of the work vehicle can change over time, artificial intelligence and / or machine learning techniques can take into account such changes trained on new data.

[0080] As Figure 6 shown, the method can further include: changing the configuration and / or component positions of the work vehicle 10; re-determining the moment of inertia J to determine the re-determined moment of inertia J2 of the swing device 11 in the changed configuration and / or changed component positions; updating the maximum allowable swing speed ω of the swing device 11 max ; and limiting the maximum operating swing speed of the swing device 11 to the updated maximum allowable swing speed ω max,2 。The updated maximum allowable swing speed ω max,2 can be based on the re-determined moment of inertia J2 and the predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s 。

[0081] The method may include re - determining the moment of inertia J at a certain time interval. The moment of inertia J may be re - determined every 0.1 second, every 1 second, or every 10 seconds. The moment of inertia J may be re - determined after the controller 51 receives an input. The moment of inertia J may be re - determined and / or updated dynamically.

[0082] As Figure 7 shown, the determined moment of inertia may be the static moment of inertia J static , which includes a reference value determined based on the configuration of the swing device 11. Any given configuration of the work vehicle may have a single static moment of inertia J static . The static moment of inertia J static may be the maximum possible moment of inertia of the configuration of the swing device. The static moment of inertia J static may be determined as the moment of inertia when the arm structure 14 of the work vehicle 10 is at maximum extension and / or the tool 15 of the work vehicle 10 is at the maximum operating distance from the swing axis 33. The method may further include the step of saving the static moment of inertia J static and / or the maximum allowable swing speed ω max to a data file corresponding to a specific configuration in the memory 53. The static moment of inertia J static may not be updated as the component positions change. For a given configuration, the static moment of inertia J static may be used to limit the maximum allowable swing speed ω max , regardless of the component positions.

[0083] The static moment of inertia J static may be determined based on the configuration data of the work vehicle 10 in the same manner as described above for the determination of the moment of inertia J.

[0084] The method may further include a user - initiated calibration process. The static moment of inertia J may be determined based on sensor data from at least one sensor 7 during the user - initiated calibration process static . The user - initiated calibration process may include: determining the moment of inertia J after extending the arm structure 14 of the work vehicle 10 to maximum extension and / or moving the tool 15 of the work vehicle 10 to the maximum distance from the swing axis 33 of the work vehicle 10; and performing an angular displacement. It may be in the same manner as described above for the moment of inertia J statiDetermine the static moment of inertia J in the same way based on sensor data from at least one sensor 7 during a user-initiated calibration process. The user-initiated calibration process may require the user to input a calibration command to the control system 50, and the control system 50 will extend the arm structure 14 to its maximum extension according to the calibration command and then perform an angular displacement while recording the sensor data. The user-initiated calibration process may require the user to follow prompts to extend the arm structure 14 to its maximum extension and then perform an angular displacement while the control system 50 records the sensor data. The method may further include storing the static moment of inertia J static in a data file corresponding to a specific configuration in the memory 53.

[0085] As Figure 8 shown, the maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be further based on work vehicle component position data. The maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be further based on component position data without changing the single static moment of inertia J max used to limit the maximum allowable swing speed ω static value. Using component position data to determine the maximum allowable swing speed ω max allows for considering changes in the moment of inertia J caused by changing component positions without having to recalculate the moment of inertia (which can be computationally expensive).

[0086] As Figure 9 shown, component position data such as the stick angle 41 and / or the boom angle 39 can be used to determine the maximum allowable swing speed ω max . When adjusting the stick angle 41 and / or the boom angle 39, the moment of inertia J will be affected because the position of the arm structure 14 will change. The arm structure 14 can be adjusted so that it extends further from the swing axis 33, thereby increasing the moment of inertia J. By using the stick angle 41 and / or the boom angle 39 as direct inputs when determining the maximum allowable swing speed ω max , the maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be adjusted based on changes in the stick angle 41 and / or the boom angle 39 without having to recalculate the moment of inertia.

[0087] As Figure 9 shown, when the stick angle 41 increases, the maximum allowable swing speed ω max can increase. An increase in the stick angle 41 can cause a decrease in the extension of the arm structure 14 of the work vehicle 10 and / or a decrease in the distance of the tool 15 from the swing axis 33. This decrease can cause the moment of inertia J to decrease. Due to the decreased moment of inertia J, a higher maximum allowable swing speed ω max can still allow the swing device 11 to slow down to zero within a predetermined maximum angular stop displacement θ s . The maximum allowable swing speed ωmax can be increased accordingly.

[0088] Above a certain arm angle, the maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be at an upper limit where increasing beyond its maximum allowable swing speed will not increase. This upper limit can be set by safety considerations and / or vehicle limitations. Below a certain arm angle, the maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be at a lower limit where increasing beyond its maximum allowable swing speed will not decrease. Given a static moment of inertia J static , this lower limit can be set to the swing speed ω at which the swing device 11 can stop displacement at a predetermined maximum angle θ s and slow down to zero within it. The maximum allowable swing speed ω max stops increasing at the arm angle 41 when it starts to increase, and the rate of increase can be selected through experimental and empirical methods to find an appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω for a given static moment of inertia J static , maximum angle stop displacement θ, and arm angle 41 max .

[0089] As Figure 9 shown, component position data such as the boom angle 39 can be used to determine the maximum allowable swing speed ω max . As shown in the figure, when the boom angle 39 increases, the maximum allowable swing speed ω ma can decrease, then remain constant, and then increase. An increase in the boom angle 39 from a small angle can increase the extension of the arm structure 14 of the work vehicle 10 and / or increase the distance of the tool 15 from the swing axis 33. This increase may increase the moment of inertia J. A lower maximum allowable swing speed ω max may be required to allow the swing device 11 to slow down to zero within a predetermined maximum angle stop displacement θ s . The maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be decreased accordingly. An increase in the boom angle 39 by an angle of approximately 90 degrees may not affect the extension of the arm structure 14 of the work vehicle 10 and / or the distance of the tool 15 from the swing axis 33. This may keep the moment of inertia J approximately constant. A constant maximum allowable swing speed ω max may allow the swing device 11 to slow down to zero within a predetermined maximum angle stop displacement θ s . The maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be kept constant accordingly. An increase in the boom angle 39 from an angle of approximately 90 degrees can decrease the extension of the arm structure 14 of the work vehicle 10 and / or decrease the distance of the tool 15 from the swing axis 33. This increase may decrease the moment of inertia J. A higher maximum allowable swing speed ω max can still allow the swing device 11 to slow down to zero within a predetermined maximum angle stop displacement θ s . The maximum allowable swing speed ωmax can be increased accordingly.

[0090] Below a certain boom angle 39 and above a certain boom angle 39, the maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be at an upper limit beyond which the maximum allowable swing speed does not increase. This upper limit can be set by safety considerations and / or vehicle limitations. Between the two certain boom angles 39, the maximum allowable swing speed ω max can be at a lower limit beyond which the maximum allowable swing speed does not decrease. Given the static moment of inertia J static , this lower limit can be set to the swing speed ω at which the swing device 11 can stop displacement at a predetermined maximum angle θ s within which it slows down to zero. The maximum allowable swing speed ω max stops increasing at the boom angle 39 when it starts to increase, and the rate of increase can be selected by experimental and empirical methods to find the appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω for a given static moment of inertia J static , maximum angle stop displacement θ s and boom angle 39. max .

[0091] The method can also include the control system 50 causing the swing device 11 to rotate about the swing axis 33 at a swing speed ω equal to or less than the maximum operating swing speed ω max . The method can also include the control system 50 overriding a user command to cause the swing device 11 to rotate about the swing axis 33 at a swing speed ω greater than the maximum operating swing speed ω max . Overriding the user command can include receiving user input to perform rotation at a swing speed ω greater than the maximum operating swing speed ω max , and outputting a command to the swing actuator 30 to perform rotation at a swing speed ω equal to or less than the maximum operating swing speed ω max .

[0092] Industrial applicability

[0093] Thus, the method 50 can determine the moment of inertia J of the swing device 11 and use this value to determine the appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω max . By using the moment of inertia J of the current configuration of the work vehicle 10, the appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω for this specific configuration is determined max . There is no over - restriction of the swing speed ω due to the possibly higher moment of inertia J of other configurations. The maximum allowable swing speed ω max is thus based on the current configuration and can therefore always be maximized. This ensures that the work vehicle 10 can operate on different configurations of the work vehicle 11 at a predetermined maximum angle stop displacement θ sReduce its swing speed ω to zero within the safety distance. In addition, the swing performance of the work vehicle 11 is not overly affected because it is always at the maximum safe speed of the current configuration.

[0094] If the method includes re - determining the moment of inertia J and updating the maximum allowable swing speed ω when the component position of the work vehicle 11 changes max , then determine the appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω for this specific configuration and component position max . There will be no excessive restriction of the swing speed ω caused by the possibly higher moment of inertia J of other component positions. The maximum allowable swing speed ω max is thus based on the current component position and can therefore always be maximized. This ensures that the work vehicle 10 can reduce its swing speed ω to zero within a safety distance such as a predetermined maximum angular stop displacement ω s . In addition, the swing performance of the work vehicle 11 is maximized because it is always at the maximum safe speed of the current component position.

[0095] If the method includes determining the static moment of inertia J static , then recalculating the moment of inertia J, which may be computationally expensive, is avoided. In embodiments where the maximum allowable swing speed ω max is further based on work vehicle component position data, determine the appropriate maximum allowable swing speed ω for this specific configuration and component position max without recalculating the moment of inertia J, which may be computationally expensive.

Claims

1. A method of operating a work vehicle, the work vehicle including a swing device rotatable about a swing axis, wherein the swing device includes an arm structure including a boom and an arm, the method including, by a control system: Determine the moment of inertia of the swing device; Determine a maximum allowable swing speed of the swing device about the swing axis based on: The determined moment of inertia, and A predetermined maximum angular stop displacement; And Limit a maximum operating swing speed of the swing device to the maximum allowable swing speed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum allowable swing speed is further based on a determined braking torque of the work vehicle for slowing rotation of the swing device about the swing axis.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the work vehicle includes at least one sensor, and the moment of inertia of the swing device is determined based on sensor data from the at least one sensor.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one component position sensor mounted to the swing device, and the moment of inertia of the swing device is determined based on work vehicle component position data from the at least one component position sensor.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one movement or acceleration sensor mounted to the swing device, and the moment of inertia of the swing device is determined based on movement or acceleration data from the at least one movement or acceleration sensor.

6. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the at least one sensor includes one or more of the following: an inertial measurement unit (IMU); an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer; and a pressure sensor.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the moment of inertia of the swing device is determined based on configuration data of the work vehicle indicating at least part of the dimensions and / or weight of the swing device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the configuration data includes one or more of the following: swing device measurements; boom measurements; arm measurements; body measurements; cab measurements; tool measurements; and tool type.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the determined moment of inertia is a static moment of inertia, the static moment of inertia including a reference value determined based on the configuration of the work vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the static moment of inertia is determined as the inertia when the arm structure of the work vehicle is at maximum extension and / or the tool of the work vehicle is at the maximum operating distance of the tool from the swing axis.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the work vehicle includes at least one component position sensor mounted to the swing device, and wherein the maximum allowable swing speed is further based on work vehicle component position data from the at least one component position sensor.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the method further comprises, by the control system: changing the configuration of the work vehicle and / or the position of the components; re-determining the moment of inertia of the swing device in the changed configuration and / or the changed component position; updating the maximum allowable swing speed of the swing device based on: the re-determined moment of inertia and the predetermined maximum angular stop displacement; and limiting the maximum operating swing speed of the swing device to the updated maximum allowable swing speed.

13. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises, by the control system: rotating the swing device about the swing axis at a swing speed equal to or less than the maximum operating swing speed; and / or overriding a user command to rotate the swing device about the swing axis at a swing speed greater than the maximum operating swing speed.

14. A controller for controlling a work vehicle, the work vehicle comprising a swing device rotatable about a swing axis, wherein the swing device comprises an arm structure, the arm structure comprising a boom and a stick, the controller being configured to: determine the moment of inertia of the swing device; determine the maximum allowable swing speed of the swing device rotating about the swing axis based on: the determined moment of inertia, and a predetermined maximum angular stop displacement; and limiting the maximum operating swing speed of the swing device to the maximum allowable swing speed.

15. A work vehicle, comprising: a swing device rotatable about a swing axis, wherein the swing device comprises an arm structure, the arm structure comprising a boom and a stick; and a control system, the control system comprising a controller according to claim 14.

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