Articulating Boom Auto-Stow Control With Waypoint Motion Planning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing articulating boom assemblies pose safety hazards due to difficult ingress and egress from aerial platforms, require complex manual operations, and lack intuitive single-handed control options, especially in wet conditions, complicating movement and increasing the risk of accidents.
Innovation Solution
An articulating boom assembly with automated motion control systems that determine waypoints or target joint angles to move the boom tip to a desired position, allowing single-handed operation and smooth, intuitive movements using non-metering inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automated motion control systems are implemented, then operation complexity is reduced and positioning efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The boom assembly system performs self-positioning through automated motion control that uses sensors to detect the current pose and automatically calculates waypoints to reach the target position, eliminating the need for complex manual coordination of multiple boom sections
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control with an automated control system that uses processors to determine pose information, calculate flight paths, and control hydraulic actuators, substituting human operator complexity with automated computational complexity
2Loss of time
If manual control operations are used, then device complexity is minimized, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates the flight path and waypoints from the current boom pose to the target position before execution, allowing the boom to move efficiently along the predetermined path without real-time manual adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The automated control system continuously monitors the boom assembly's pose through sensors and adjusts the motion in real-time to stay on the calculated flight path, providing feedback control that reduces positioning time while maintaining safety
3Ease of operation
If complex multi-step inputs are required, then control precision is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the precise flight path and waypoints based on sensor-measured pose information and target position, eliminating the need for operators to manually coordinate multiple precision inputs while maintaining accurate positioning through automated calculation
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for improved control of articulating boom assemblies are disclosed herein. Automated functions, such as auto ground and auto stow functions, may be provided to automatically move an articulating boom assembly to the desired position. When an automated function is requested, a series of waypoints may be generated, and the boom assembly may move a boom tip thereof through each of the series of waypoints. Using the machine geometry of the boom assembly and the pose of the boom assembly when the automated function is requested may enable the waypoints to be determined. The automated functions may enable the boom assembly to be moved faster than when manually operated and also eliminates the need for the operator to provide a series of complex inputs required to move each joint of the articulating boom assembly to reach the desired position.