Control system and operating method in machine having rotatable operator station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10072394-B1
Application number	US-201715450349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 6, 2017
Priority date	Mar 6, 2017
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A control system for a machine with a rotatable operator station includes sensors to produce data indicative of suitability and unsuitability of the machine for initiating and completing adjustment, respectively, between a first control configuration where the operator station is at a first orientation and a second control configuration where the operator station is at a second orientation. A control device in the control system transitions the control system between a locking state for inhibiting rotation of the operator station and an unlocking state for permitting rotation, based on the suitability data and the unsuitability data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a machine, the method comprising:
receiving an operator request for adjustment of the machine from a first control configuration where an operator station of the machine that includes a seat is at a first angular orientation about an axis to a second control configuration where the operator station is rotated to a second angular orientation about the axis;
receiving data indicative of suitability of the machine for initiating the adjustment from the first control configuration to the second control configuration;
transitioning a control system in the machine from a locking state, for inhibiting rotation of the operator station, to an unlocking state, for permitting rotation of the operator station;
the control system being transitioned based on the operator request and the data indicative of suitability of the machine for initiating the adjustment; and
the operator station being rotated after the control system is transitioned from the locking state to the unlocking state;

receiving data indicative of unsuitability of the machine for completing the adjustment from the first control configuration to the second control configuration after transitioning the control system from the locking state to the unlocking state; and
transitioning the control system from the unlocking state to the locking state based on the data indicative of unsuitability of the machine for completing the adjustment;
determining at which of the first angular orientation or the second angular orientation the operator station is positioned;
latching the control system to a forward state or a reverse state, based on the transitioning of the control system from the unlocking state to the locking state and the determining at which of the first angular orientation or the second angular orientation the operator station is positioned; and
outputting control commands to at least one of a steering system or a transmission system in the machine in one of a forward pattern or a reverse pattern based, respectively, on whether the control system is latched to the forward state or the reverse state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving data indicative of unsuitability of the machine for completing the adjustment includes receiving data indicative of at least one of a fault condition, expiration of a timer, a value of a ground travel parameter of the machine, a transmission gear or a change in transmission gear, or an interruption of the operator request.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the data indicative of unsuitability includes data indicative of a value of the ground travel parameter, and wherein the ground travel parameter includes a ground speed of the machine.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein transitioning the control system from the locking state to the unlocking state further includes commanding shifting a transmission in the machine to neutral and commanding engaging a brake in the machine.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein transitioning the control system from the locking state to the unlocking state further includes commanding unlocking the operator station to rotation based on engagement of the brake.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein:
the seat is rotatable between a forward orientation in the machine at the first angular orientation and a reverse orientation in the machine at the second angular orientation;
receiving an operator request for adjustment of the machine further includes receiving an operator request that is based on an actuation state of a trigger at the operator station; and
receiving data indicative of unsuitability of the machine for completing the adjustment further includes receiving data indicative of an interruption of the operator request caused by a change in the actuation state of the trigger.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein transitioning the control system from the unlocking state back to the locking state occurs when the seat is at a third angular orientation about the axis that is between the first angular orientation and the second angular orientation.

8. A machine comprising:
a frame;
an operator station including a seat, and being adjustable relative to the frame between a first angular orientation about an axis and a second angular orientation about the axis;
a control system including an input device configured to produce an operator request to adjust the machine between a first control configuration where the operator station is at the first angular orientation, and a second control configuration where the operator station is at the second angular orientation;
the control system further including at least one sensing mechanism and at least one control device coupled with each of the input device and the at least one sensing mechanism;
the at least one sensing mechanism being configured to produce data indicative of suitability of the machine for initiating the adjustment, and to produce data indicative of unsuitability of the machine for completing the adjustment; and
the at least one control device being configured to:
transition the control system from a locking state, for inhibiting rotation of the operator station, to an unlocking state, for permitting rotation of the operator station, based on the data indicative of suitability of the machine for initiating the adjustment; and
transition the control system from the unlocking state to the locking state based on the data indicative of unsuitability of the machine for completing the adjustment; and

the at least one control device being further configured to:
output control commands to at least one of a transmission system or a steering system in the machine according to a forward pattern when the operator station is at the first angular orientation and according to a reverse pattern when the operator station is at the second angular orientation;
determine at which of the first angular orientation or the second angular orientation the operator station is positioned; and
latch the control system to one of a forward state for outputting the control commands in a forward pattern or a reverse state for outputting the control commands in a reverse pattern, based on the transitioning of the control system from the unlocking state to the locking state and the determining at which of the first angular orientation or the second angular orientation the operator station is positioned.

9. The machine of claim 8 wherein the first angular orientation includes a forward orientation of the seat, and wherein the second angular orientation includes a reverse orientation of the seat.

10. The machine of claim 9 wherein the at least one sensing mechanism includes a sensor configured to monitor a ground travel parameter of the machine.

11. The machine of claim 10 wherein the at least one sensing mechanism further includes a plurality of sensors coupled with the operator station, and the plurality of sensors providing a plurality of different output states indicative of whether the seat is at the first angular orientation or the second angular orientation.

12. The machine of claim 8 wherein the at least one control device includes a first control device configured to output the control commands to the transmission system and a second control device configured to output the control commands to the steering system.

13. The machine of claim 8 wherein the at least one control device is further configured to command a first electrical energy state of a seat lock actuator in the locking state of the control system, and to command a second electrical energy state of the seat lock actuator in the unlocking state of the control system.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Wynkoop Christopher
• Pavlik David
• Dodge Nicholas
• Duren F Walter
• Saxsma Andrew

Classifications

• E02F9/166

  movable, tiltable or pivoting, e.g. movable seats, dampening arrangements of cabins (seats for vehicles in general B60N2/00) · CPC title

• B60N2/143

  taking a position opposite to the original one · CPC title

• B60N2/146

  characterised by the locking device · CPC title

• E02F9/2004

  Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers (control levers per se G05G) · CPC title

• E02F9/2025 Primary

  Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for (E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence) · CPC title