Backhoe Bucket Position Monitoring via Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators of tractor/loader/backhoe machines face challenges in accurately monitoring the location and orientation of the bucket, especially when it is positioned within a hole, which can lead to safety risks and potential damage to underground utilities due to the lack of clear visibility and precise depth gauging.
Innovation Solution
A work machine system equipped with a controller that uses boom angle, stick extension, and bucket angle sensors to determine the bucket's position and orientation, providing accurate and consistent monitoring through output signals and visualization on a display, allowing for control of other machine functions and prediction of future bucket locations to prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the bucket is positioned deeply within a hole to perform digging operations, then the digging capability is improved, but the operator loses line of sight of the bucket and cannot accurately gauge its depth and position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensors (boom angle sensor, stick extension sensor, bucket angle sensor) as intermediaries to measure the bucket's position and orientation. These sensors act as mediators between the physical bucket position and the information available to the operator, converting physical parameters into measurable signals that can be processed and displayed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical line-of-sight monitoring system with an electronic sensing and computational system. Instead of relying on the operator's visual observation, the system uses sensors to detect boom angle, stick extension, and bucket angle, then computationally determines the bucket's three-dimensional position and orientation, substituting mechanical observation with electronic measurement.
2Device complexity
If the operator relies on visual observation to monitor bucket position, then no additional equipment is needed, but the measurement precision of bucket depth and location is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces imprecise visual estimation with precise electronic sensing. Boom angle sensors, stick extension sensors, and bucket angle sensors provide accurate measurements of the mechanical components' positions, which are then used to calculate the bucket's exact location and depth, substituting crude visual monitoring with precision electronic measurement systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate measurement devices (sensors) that bridge the gap between the bucket's physical position and the operator's knowledge of its location. These sensors serve as intermediaries that capture precise data about boom angle, stick extension, and bucket angle, enabling accurate determination of bucket position without direct visual observation.
3Measurement precision
If the EZDig Pro system with multiple sensors is implemented to visualize bucket location, then measurement precision is improved, but the calibration process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the controller serve multiple functions: it not only controls the backhoe's mechanical operations but also processes sensor data from boom angle, stick extension, and bucket angle sensors to determine bucket position. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate calibration equipment and procedures, as the existing controller handles both mechanical control and positional measurement tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the calibration function into the normal operational workflow of the backhoe. Rather than requiring a separate, extensive calibration process, the system uses the controller's existing capabilities to continuously calculate bucket position based on sensor readings during normal operation, combining measurement and control functions into a unified system that requires minimal setup.
4Reliability
If the bucket position is monitored with high precision using multiple sensors, then safety is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the controller multi-functional, using it both for mechanical control and for processing sensor data to determine bucket position. This eliminates the need for dedicated monitoring hardware, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high measurement precision through the reuse of existing computational resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions (boom angle measurement, stick extension measurement, bucket angle measurement) into a unified system processed by a single controller. By merging these functions and processing them together, the system achieves high reliability for safety monitoring without the complexity of separate, independent monitoring systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A work machine includes: a chassis; a backhoe assembly carried by the chassis, the backhoe assembly including: a boom pivotably linked to the chassis at a boom pivot point; a boom angle sensor associated with the boom pivot point; a stick extendably linked to the boom; a stick extension sensor associated with the stick; a bucket pivotably linked to the stick at a bucket pivot point; and a bucket angle sensor associated with the bucket pivot point. A controller coupled to the boom angle sensor, the stick extension sensor, and the bucket angle sensor is configured to: determine a boom angle of the boom; determine a stick extension of the stick; determine a bucket angle of the bucket; and output a bucket location signal corresponding to a current bucket position and a current bucket orientation, relative to the chassis, based on the determined boom angle, stick extension, and bucket angle.