Excavator Bucket Blade Alignment Using Tilt and Rotation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hydraulic excavators with tilt and swivel mechanisms struggle to align the bucket blade edge with the work surface when the bucket is positioned at angles such as 90° or 270° relative to the vehicle, as conventional tilt angle control alone is insufficient.

Innovation Solution

A work support device that includes a control unit to automatically adjust the tilt and rotation angles of the bucket using a tilt mechanism and an actuator, combined with sensors to detect the bucket's posture, ensuring the blade edge aligns with the work surface by selectively controlling the tilt and rotation angles until residual angles are minimized.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If tilt angle control alone is used, then the bucket blade edge can be aligned with the work surface at 0° or 90° positions, but the blade edge cannot approach the working surface when the bucket is positioned at other angles (e.g., 90° or 270° swivel positions)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precision of blade edge with work surfaceVSAvoidadaptability to different bucket angles
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines tilt angle control with rotation angle control to achieve comprehensive bucket positioning. The control unit integrates both tilt mechanism control and rotation actuator control to enable the blade edge to follow the work surface at any bucket angle, not just limited positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The control system is designed to handle multiple operating conditions and bucket angles universally. By accepting work surface angle information and calculating appropriate tilt and rotation adjustments, the system adapts to various swivel positions (0°, 90°, 270°, etc.) and maintains precise alignment capability across all positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If both tilt mechanism and swivel mechanism are used, then the bucket can achieve various angles, but the control complexity increases to coordinate both mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebucket angle rangeVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit receives work surface angle information from sensors or external sources and uses this feedback to calculate the appropriate tilt and rotation adjustments needed. This closed-loop approach simplifies the control logic by basing adjustments on actual measured conditions rather than complex open-loop coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes control parameters dynamically based on the bucket's current angle and the work surface geometry. By adjusting tilt and rotation commands according to real-time conditions, the system manages complexity through adaptive parameter modification rather than fixed complex control sequences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4603642B1Work support device and work machine
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 CATERPILLAR SARL
  • EP4603642B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4603642B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4603642B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

PROBLEMS: To provide a work support device capable of automatically aligning a blade edge of a bucket along a work surface even changeable an angle of the bucket by a tilt mechanism and a swivel mechanism, and to provide a work machine equipped with the same. SOLUTIONS: A work support device for automatically controlling a position of a bucket (9) includes a controller (50) for controlling at least one of a tilt angle of the bucket (9) by a tilt mechanism (25) and a rotation angle of the bucket (9) by a bucket cylinder (21) so as to reduce an angle residual between an angle of a blade edge of the bucket (9) calculated based on detection of a sensor unit (52) and an angle of a work surface input in advance.