Work Tool Vibration System, Apparatus, and Method

This document (including the drawings) claims priority and the benefit of the filing date based on U.S. provisional application No. 63/640,044, filed Apr. 29, 2024, and titled WORK TOOL VIBRATION SYSTEM, APPARATUS, AND METHOD under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e), where the provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

The present disclosure relates generally to utility vehicles, and more specifically to construction vehicles that include a work tool.

When using a work tool, such as a bucket, it is challenging to get the bucket into material that is hard to penetrate, which can limit the amount of material with each scoop of the bucket, and it can slow down productivity and increase wear on components of the vehicle. A solution to allow for easier and more effective use of the work tool for these situations is desired.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a utility vehicle for moving a material can comprise a frame including a first motion detection apparatus, a work tool movably coupled with an arm, where the arm is movably coupled with the frame, a second motion detection apparatus coupled with the work tool, a vibration apparatus coupled with the work tool, and a controller in communication with the motion detection apparatus and the vibration apparatus, wherein the controller includes a processor and a memory having a work tool vibration algorithm stored thereon, wherein the processor is operatable to execute the work tool vibration algorithm to receive motion data from the motion detection apparatus, analyze the motion data to determine if the motion data represents a movement of the motion detection apparatus that drops below a threshold movement level, actuate the vibration apparatus to vibrate the work tool.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, work tool system for a utility vehicle, the work tool system can comprise a work tool movably coupled with a frame of the utility vehicle, a motion detection apparatus, a vibration apparatus coupled with the work tool, and a controller in communication with the motion detection apparatus and the vibration apparatus, wherein the controller includes a processor and a memory having a work tool vibration algorithm stored thereon, wherein the processor is operatable to execute the work tool vibration algorithm to: receive motion data from the motion detection apparatus, analyze the motion data to determine if the motion data represents a movement of the motion detection apparatus that drops below a threshold movement level, actuate the vibration apparatus to vibrate the work tool.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operating a utility vehicle, the method can comprise: receiving motion data from a motion detection apparatus, analyzing the motion data with a controller to determine when the motion data represents a movement of a motion detection apparatus dropping below a threshold movement level, and actuating the vibration apparatus to vibrate a work tool.

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.

is an isometric view of an excavator, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. A utility vehicle (e.g., an excavator)is shown that includes a frame, a work tool (e.g., a bucket), a bucket cylinderA, an arm, an arm cylinderB, a boom, and a boom cylinderC. Some embodiments can have a single boom cylinder or multiple boom cylindersC. The embodiments described here are discussed with reference to an excavator, but could also apply to other utility vehicles with similar configurations including, for example, wheel loaders, crawler loaders, backhoes, skid steer loaders and compact track loaders, and loaders and backhoes attached to tractors.

In the embodiment shown in the figures here and primary discussed, the work tool is a bucket and the excavator has an arm and a boom. In other utility vehicles, the configuration may be a different configuration (e.g., a wheel loader, or a skid steer loader and compact track loader) but the general idea is the same. Other work tools that could benefit from vibrations to aid in penetrating material that is challenging for the work tool could also benefit from this, including, but not limited to, augers, blades, scrapers, moldboards, etc.

are side views of an excavator engaging material with a bucket, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. The bucketcan be used to engage (i.e., scoop, grab, load, etc.) a materialon a surface. In, the bucketcan be positioned through movements of the utility vehicle(shown here as an excavator), including the arm, the boom, and the boom cylinderC (not shown in, see) to be proximate a material. The material could be, for example, dirt, soil, rocks, sand, gravel, or other materials that are stored in piles. In some embodiments, the bucketmay engage the surfacedirectly such as the operation of digging a trench or a hole or other similar operation.

shoes the bucketstarted to engage deeper into the material. As the bucket moves into the material, it can become harder to move the bucket into the materialbecause of resistance (the size of the excavator, available hydraulic power, the density of the material, friction of the material, etc.).

shows the bucketbeing vibrated by alternating movements of the bucket cylinderA—as the bucket cylinderA extends and retracts, that causes the bucketto move back and forth. This back and forth movement of the bucket can be done rapidly to vibrate or shake the bucket. As the bucketvibrates, the bucket can more easily continue into the material. The easier movement of the bucketinto the materialcan be beneficial as it allows for more higher percentages of fullness of the bucket (i.e., improve material flow into the bucket) which increases productivity. The easier movement of the bucketinto the materialcan also prevent and/or limit stalling the engine of the machine when attempting to fill the bucket with a difficult scoop of material, this may also reduce the need to reposition the excavator as frequently and/or as many times, which may also improve productivity.

a schematic view of a work tool vibration system, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. The utility vehiclecan include the frame(i.e., a chassis) with a frame inertial measurement unit (IMU)A, the bucketincluding a bucket IMUB, the bucket cylinderA, the armincluding an arm IMUC, the arm cylinderB, the boomincluding a boom IMUD, the boom cylinderC, a hydraulic pressure sensor, an electronic processor(i.e., a controller), a non-transitory computer-readable memory, an operator interface,

Each of the IMUs (the frame IMUA, the bucket IMUB, the arm IMUC, and the boom IMUD) can be used to track aspects of the various components (the bucket, the arm, the boom) with respect to each other and with respect to the frame. The aspects include, for example, a relative position of the components with respect to each other, based on IMU position, can be determined and a relative speed, with respect to another IMU can be determined.

For example, a speed (i.e., a velocity) of the bucket(e.g., a can be determined relative to the frame based on differences in locations of the bucket IMUB compared to the frame IMUA over a given time period. This also applies to all combinations of the IMUs and their respective component (e.g., a relative speed of the bucketwith respect to the arm, a relative speed of the arm with respect to the boom, and a relative speed of the arm and/or boom with respect to the frame, or any combination of these).

As an example, if an operator commands the bucketand armto move into materialas shown inat maximum velocity, the utility vehiclewill attempt to do that until conditions generate something less than maximum velocity of the bucket-excessive resistance between the bucketand the material. The resistance will cause the bucket velocity (and/or the arm velocity and/or the boom velocity) as monitored by the bucket IMUB (and/or the arm IMUC and/or the boom IMUD) to drop, which can then cause the bucket vibration to automatically kick in, and vibrate the bucketby rapidly extending and retracting the bucket cylinderA (and/or doing the same maneuver with the arm cylinderB and/or or boom cylinderC). This can be considered a “vibration apparatus.”

In another embodiment, the bucketcould include an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) electric motor. When a bucket velocity (and/or the arm velocity and/or the boom velocity) as monitored by the bucket IMUB (and/or the arm IMUC and/or the boom IMUD) to drop, which can then cause the ERM to actuate, which can induce vibrations in the bucket.

A bucket velocity, based on the bucket IMU movement, can be monitored. When the bucket velocity drops below a threshold (e.g., becomes stationary, no movement) the controller can send signals to the bucket cylinderA to alternate between extending and retracting in close succession to cause the bucketto vibrate as shown in. The alternating directions of the bucket cylinder can be executed more quickly by the work tool vibration system automatically commanding the bucket cylinder movements than an operator may be able to do using the operator controls.

In some embodiments, an arm velocity can be used as the threshold metric to cause the controller to send a signal to generate vibration of the bucket and/or armby alternating extension and retraction of the arm cylinderB.

In other embodiments, a boom velocity can be used as the threshold metric to cause the controller to send a signal to generate vibration of the bucket and/or arm and/or boom by alternating extension and retraction of the boom cylinderC.

In another embodiment, hydraulic pressure sensors can be used to monitor one or more of a hydraulic pressure of the bucket cylinderA, the arm cylinderB, and the boom cylinderC. Increases in hydraulic pressure levels can indicate when the excavator is digging, and specific pressure values (e.g., a threshold hydraulic pressure) can indicate when the excavator is about to stall and/or stalling. When the threshold hydraulic pressure is reached the work tool vibration system can activate and vibrate one or more of the hydraulic cylinders (e.g., the bucket cylinder, the arm cylinder, and/or the boom cylinder) as described herein.

The operator interfacecan include controls to engage/disengage a work tool vibration system. The work tool vibration system could be engaged by the operator activating a physical switch (e.g., button, or similar, etc.) or a virtual switch (e.g., an icon on a touch screen). The work tool vibration system could also be passively engaged where it would be available, but would only activate when the desired conditions are detected and the system automatically engages without operator input (e.g., automatic engagement of the work tool vibration).

Also, a number of operator interface (i.e., user interface (UI)) displays have been discussed. The UI displays can take a wide variety of different forms and can have a wide variety of different user actuatable input mechanisms disposed thereon. For instance, the user actuatable input mechanisms can be text boxes, check boxes, icons, links, drop-down menus, search boxes, etc. The mechanisms can also be actuated in a wide variety of different ways. For instance, the mechanisms can be actuated using a point and click device (such as a track ball or mouse). The mechanisms can be actuated using hardware buttons, switches, a joystick or keyboard, thumb switches or thumb pads, etc. The mechanisms can also be actuated using a virtual keyboard or other virtual actuators. In addition, where the screen on which the mechanisms are displayed is a touch sensitive screen, the mechanisms can be actuated using touch gestures. Also, where the device that displays the mechanisms has speech recognition components, the mechanisms can be actuated using speech commands.

An electronic processoris provided and configured to perform an operation by monitoring movement of the bucketrelative to the frameand automatically vibrating the bucketwhen a movement threshold is reached. The electronic processormay be arranged locally as part of the utility vehicleor remotely at a remote processing center (not shown). In various embodiments, the electronic processormay comprise a processor, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a controller, a central processing unit, a programmable logic array, a programmable logic controller, or other suitable programmable circuitry that is adapted to perform data processing and/or system control operations. The electronic processorexecutes or otherwise relies upon computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, or data structures, etc. Software routines resident in the included memory of the electronic processoror other memory are executed in response to signals received.

A number of data stores have also been discussed. It will be noted the data stores can each be broken into multiple data stores. All can be local to the systems accessing them, all can be remote, or some can be local while others are remote. All of these configurations are contemplated herein.

The computer software applications, in other embodiments, may be located in the cloud (e.g., a server or other remote computer arrangement). The executed software includes one or more specific applications, components, programs, objects, modules, or sequences of instructions typically referred to as “program code”. The program code includes one or more instructions located in memory and other storage devices which execute the instructions which are resident in memory, which are responsive to other instructions generated by the system, or which are provided by an operator interfaceoperated by the user (e.g., located in the frameor at a remote location). The electronic processoris configured to execute the stored program instructions.

is a diagram showing a workflow for the work tool vibration system, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. The work tool vibration systemcan include a stepof where the machine (e.g., the excavator) measure states and values are compared with conditions that indicate digging in material, a stepregarding is the dig function engaged with material, a stepwhere machine measured states and values are compared with predicted states and values when the machine is not stalled, a stepwhere the system evaluates whether the dig function is stalled or stalling, a stepwhere the work tool vibration system vibrates the bucket (e.g., vibrates the cutting surface of the bucket), and a stepwhere the work tool system does not vibrate the bucket (e.g., does not vibrate the bucket cutting surface) because the system does not detect a stall of the machine in digging.

Stepcan include comparing, for example, movement information of the bucket, the arm, the boom, based on the bucket IMUB, the arm IMUC, and the boom IMUD relative to the frame IMUA. Various movements (bucket curling/uncurling, arm moving back and forth, boom moving up and down) can be used to determine if the excavatoris digging into material.

In another embodiment, the machine states and values considered in the stepcan include hydraulic cylinder pressures for one or more of the bucket cylinderA, the arm cylinderB and/or the boom cylinderC using a hydraulic pressure sensor(could be one or more pressure sensors) to monitor pressures that indicate the excavator is digging (e.g., increasing cylinder pressure can indicate the bucketis digging into material).

Based on the information from step, stepcan be used to determine if the dig function of the excavator is being engaged. For example, no or low cylinder pressure values can represent no digging and higher/increasing cylinder pressure values can indicate the bucket of the excavator is digging into material.

Similar to step, the stepcan use the movement information of the bucket, the arm, the boom, based on the bucket IMUB, the arm IMUC, and the boom IMUD relative to the frame IMUA to evaluate for when the excavator is not stalled (operating as desired) when digging into material. This also applies to the hydraulic cylinder pressures as described above.

The systemcan then evaluate at the step, based on the machine measured states and values determine if the dig function is stalled or stalling. For example, if the velocity of any one of the IMUsA-C at zero but a dig command is being given or if the hydraulic cylinder pressure rapidly rises and/or hits a set point that could indicate an approaching stall of the excavator.

If, at stepa stall or stalling conditions are found, the systemcan automatically vibrate the bucket(as described above) by extending and retracting any combination of the hydraulic cylindersA-C as indicated by step.

If, at stepno stall or stalling conditions are found based on the machine measure states, the systemmay not execute a vibration of the bucket as indicated in stepand proceed on to step, repeating the steps of systemshown in.

is a flow diagram for a method of vibrating a work tool, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. A methodcan include a stepof receiving motion data from a motion detection apparatus, a stepof analyzing the motion data with a controller to determine when the motion data represents a movement of a motion detection apparatus dropping below a threshold movement level, a stepof actuating a vibration apparatus to vibrate a work tool.

The stepcan also include wherein analyzing the motion data with a controller to determine when the motion data with a controller to determine when the motion data represents a movement of a motion detection apparatus dropping below a threshold movement level includes analyzing a commanded cylinder velocity with a delivered cylinder velocity.

In the methodthe vibration apparatus can comprise a hydraulic cylinder commanded to alternate oscillating between extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinder. In some embodiments other actuators could be used (e.g., electric actuators) to vibrate the bucket.

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.

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.