Work Vehicle Attachment Service Mode

The present disclosure relates generally to a work vehicle with an attachment and a service mode for the attachment.

Work vehicles have many attachment offerings. Many of the attachments have a rotatable component with service parts that wear with use. Therein lies an opportunity to improve the ability to check and replace worn service parts.

A method for servicing an attachment for a work vehicle is disclosed. The method comprises activating a service mode that limits a rotation of a rotatable component of the attachment to a service rotation rate that rotates the rotatable component slower than an operational rotation rate when the attachment is raised to a service height, raising the attachment to the service height, selectively rotating the rotatable component of the attachment at the service rotation rate to enable a service part wear inspection, stopping the rotation to replace the service part, lowering the attachment to an operational height, and deactivating the service mode to enable the rotatable component to rotate at the operational rotation rate.

A work vehicle is disclosed. The work vehicle comprises a frame supported by a plurality of ground-engaging units. The ground-engaging units are configured to support the frame on a surface. A boom assembly is coupled to the frame. The boom assembly comprises a pair of boom arms pivotally coupled to the frame and movable relative to the frame by a pair of boom actuators. An attachment coupler is coupled to the pair of boom arms. The attachment coupler is movable relative to the frame by a pair of attachment actuators. An attachment is coupled to the attachment coupler. The attachment comprises a rotatable component. A sensor is positioned to measure when the attachment is raised from an operational height to a service height and provide a signal. A controller is communicatively coupled to pair of boom actuators, the pair of attachment actuators, and the sensor. The controller comprises a data storage device and an electronic data processor. The data storage device is configured for storing instructions that are executable by the electronic data processor to cause the electronic data processor to receive the signal, activate a service mode that limits a rotation of the rotatable component to a service rotation rate that rotates the rotatable component slower than an operational rotation rate when the attachment is raised to the service height, selectively rotate the rotatable component of the attachment to enable a service part wear inspection, stop the rotation to replace the service part, lower the attachment to the operational height, and deactivate the service mode.

A work vehicle is disclosed. The work vehicle comprises a frame supported by a plurality of ground-engaging units. The ground-engaging units are configured to support the frame on a surface. A boom assembly is coupled to the frame. The boom assembly comprises a pair of boom arms pivotally coupled to the frame and movable relative to the frame by a pair of boom actuators. An attachment coupler is coupled to the pair of boom arms. The attachment coupler is movable relative to the frame by a pair of attachment actuators. An attachment is coupled to the attachment coupler. The attachment comprises a rotatable component. A sensor is positioned to measure when the attachment is raised from an operational height to a service height and provide a signal. A controller is communicatively coupled to pair of boom actuators, the pair of attachment actuators, and the sensor. The controller comprises a data storage device and an electronic data processor. The data storage device is configured for storing instructions that are executable by the electronic data processor to cause the electronic data processor to receive the signal, limit a rotation of the rotatable component to a service rotation rate that rotates the rotatable component slower than an operational rotation rate when the attachment is raised to the service height, selectively rotate the rotatable component of the attachment to enable a service part wear inspection, stop the rotation to replace the service part, and lower the attachment to the operational height.

Other features and aspects will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings.

Like reference numerals are used to indicate like elements throughout the several figures.

As used herein, “e.g.” is utilized to non-exhaustively list examples and carries the same meaning as alternative illustrative phrases such as “including,” “including, but not limited to,” and “including without limitation.” Unless otherwise limited or modified, lists with elements that are separated by conjunctive terms (e.g., “and”) and that are also preceded by the phrase “one or more of” or “at least one of” indicate configurations or arrangements that potentially include individual elements of the list, or any combination thereof. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” or “one or more of A, B, and C” indicates the possibilities of only A, only B, only C, or any combination of two or more of A, B, and C (e.g., A and B; B and C; A and C; or A, B, and C).

Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are used descriptively for the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the disclosure, as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the teachings may be described herein in terms of functional and/or logical block components and/or various processing steps. It should be realized that such block components may be comprised of any number of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions.

Terms of degree, such as “generally”, “substantially” or “approximately” are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of a given value or orientation, for example, general tolerances or positional relationships associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.

illustrates a work vehicle, depicted as a skid steerwith an attachmentoperatively coupled to the work vehiclein a fore direction. It should be understood, however, that the work vehiclecould be one of many work vehicles, including, and without limitation, a compact track loader, a front loader, and other construction, road building, agricultural, turf, and utility work vehicles that use an attachment. The work vehicleshown here has a framewith ground-engaging unitsconfigured to support the frameon a surface. The illustrated ground-engaging unitscomprise wheels, but other embodiments can include tracks that engage the surface. Work vehiclesinclude an attachmentto allow an operator to engage the surfaceand cut and move material to achieve simple or complex features on the surface. As used herein, directions with regard to the work vehiclemay be referred to from the perspective of facing towards the attachmentfrom the frameof the work vehicle.

The work vehiclecomprises a boom assemblypivotally coupled to the frame. The attachment, or more specifically, a cold planeris pivotally coupled at a forward portion of the boom assembly. The cold planeris coupled to the boom assemblythrough an attachment coupler(), such as Deere and Company's Quik-Tach, which is an industry standard coupler configuration universally applicable to many Deere attachments and several after-market attachments.

The boom assemblycomprises of a pair of boom armspivotally coupled to the frameand moveable relative to the frameby a pair of boom actuators(). The attachment coupleris coupled to a distal portion of the pair of boom armsand is moveable relative to the frameby a pair of attachment actuators(). For this embodiment, each of the pair of boom actuatorsand the pair of attachment actuatorsmay be double acting hydraulic cylinders. As such, each may exert a force in the extending or retracting direction, directing pressurized hydraulic fluid into a head chamber of the cylinder to exert a force in the extending direction. Whereas, directing pressurized hydraulic fluid into a rod chamber of the hydraulic cylinder will tend to exert a force in the retracting direction. Alternatively, the pair of boom actuatorsand the pair of attachment actuatorsmay be electric or pneumatic.

The attachmentmay be operable to engage the ground or surfaceand grade, cut, and/or move material to achieve simple or complex features on the surface. When attached to and operating with a work vehicle, the attachmentmay experience movement in three directions and rotation in three directions. A direction of the grading blade attachmentmay also be referred to with regard to a longitudinal direction, a latitudinal or lateral direction, and a vertical direction. Rotation for the attachmentmay be referred to as rollor the roll direction, pitchor the pitch direction, and yawor the yaw direction. The attachmentmay be hydraulically actuated to move vertically up and down (“lift”), roll left or right (“tilt”), and yaw left and right (“angle”) as described in further detail below.

The terms “distal”, “proximal”, “left” and “right” may be used herein to describe certain features of the attachment. The terms “distal” and “proximal” are used in relation to the point of view of an operator located on or within the work vehicle. For example, a proximal end of the attachmentmay be the end closest to the operator and the work vehicle. A distal end of the attachmentmay be the end furthest from the operator and the work vehicle.

Referring to, the attachmentcomprises a rotatable componentthat may extend transversely to a lengthof the work vehicle. A plurality of service partsare coupled to the rotatable component. The cold planercomprises a drumas the rotatable componentand a plurality of picksas the service part.

In the embodiment depicted in, the attachmentis depicted as a mulcher or mulch head. The mulch headcomprises the drumand a plurality of teeth or a toothas the service part.

Referring to, the attachmentmay also be a brush cutter. The brush cuttercomprises a blade shaftas the rotatable componentand a bladeas the service part.

A sensormay be positioned to measure when the attachmentis raised from an operational height() to a service height() and provide a signal(). The service heightmay be set by an operator using an operator interfacethat may be positioned in a cabcoupled to the frameof the work vehicleor positioned remotely and communicating over a network.

A controlleris communicatively coupled to pair of boom actuators, the pair of attachment actuators, and the sensor. The controllercomprises a data storage deviceand an electronic data processor. The data storage deviceis configured for storing instructions that are executable by the electronic data processorto cause the electronic data processorto receive the signal, activate a service modethat limits a rotation of the rotatable componentto a service rotation ratethat rotates the rotatable componentslower than an operational rotation ratewhen the attachmentis raised to the service height, selectively rotate the rotatable componentof the attachmentto enable a service partwear inspection, stop the rotation to replace the service part, lower the attachmentto the operational height, and deactivate the service mode.

As used herein, “controller” is intended to be used consistent with how the term is used by a person of skill in the art, and refers to a computing component with processing, memory, and communication capabilities, which is utilized to execute instructions (i.e., stored on the memory or received via the communication capabilities) to control or communicate with one or more other components. In certain embodiments, the controller may be configured to receive input signals in various formats (e.g., hydraulic signals, voltage signals, current signals, CAN messages, optical signals, radio signals), and to output command or communication signals in various formats (e.g., hydraulic signals, voltage signals, current signals, CAN messages, optical signals, radio signals).

The controllermay be in communication with other components on the work vehicle, such as hydraulic components, electrical components, and operator inputs within an operator station or cabof an associated work vehicle. The controllermay be electrically connected to these other components by a wiring harness such that messages, commands, and electrical power may be transmitted between the controller and the other components. Although the controlleris referenced in the singular, in alternative embodiments the configuration and functionality described herein can be split across multiple devices using techniques known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The controllerincludes the tangible, non-transitory memory on which are recorded computer-executable instructions.

The controllermay be embodied as one or multiple digital computers or host machines each having one or more electronic data processors, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrically-programmable read only memory (EPROM), optical drives, magnetic drives, etc., a high-speed clock, analog-to-digital (A/D) circuitry, digital-to-analog (D/A) circuitry, and any required input/output (I/O) circuitry, I/O devices, and communication interfaces, as well as signal conditioning and buffer electronics.

The attachmentis hydraulically coupled to the work vehiclethrough hoses that couple to an auxiliary hydraulic port on the work vehicle. A hydraulic circuitis communicatively coupled to the controller. The hydraulic circuitincludes a hydraulic pumpcoupled to the pair of boom actuators, and the pair of attachment actuatorsby way of a plurality of flow paths. The hydraulic pumpdelivers fluid through the plurality of flow paths. The plurality of flow pathsare coupled to the pair of boom actuators, the pair of attachment actuators, and at least one proportional valve. The controlleris configured to selectively adjust the at least one proportional valveas a function of an input signal corresponding to a desired attachmentconfiguration. The controllerautomatically controls the at least one proportional valveto achieve the desired attachmentconfiguration.

With reference to, a method for servicing an attachment for a work vehicle is disclosed. In step, a service mode is activated that limits a rotation of a rotatable component of the attachment to a service rotation rate that rotates the rotatable component slower than an operational rotation rate when the attachment is raised to a service height. The service height may be set by an operator. The rotatable component may be rotated in a pulsing movement. In stepthe attachment is raised to the service height, which may be sensed. In stepthe rotatable component of the attachment is selectively rotated at the service rotation rate to enable a service part wear inspection. In stepthe rotation is stopped to replace the part. In stepthe attachment is lowered to an operational height. In stepthe service mode is deactivated to enable the rotatable component to rotate at the operational rotation rate.

While the above describes example embodiments of the present disclosure, these descriptions should not be viewed in a limiting sense. Rather, other variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.