Implement vibration system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10597845-B2
Application number	US-201715717108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2017
Priority date	Sep 27, 2017
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

An implement vibration system and method is disclosed that includes a vibration activation device; an electrohydraulic mechanism and a controller. The controller monitors the vibration activation device and sends movement signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism to control implement movement. When the vibration activation device is activated, the controller sends vibration signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism to cause the implement to vibrate. An operator control can send implement commands where the movement signals are based on the implement commands, and when vibration is activated the controller can superimpose the vibration signals on the movement signals. The vibration signals can cause a hydraulic cylinder to repeatedly extend and retract. An electrohydraulic control valve can receive the movement signals and control hydraulic flow to the hydraulic cylinder based on the movement signals. The vibration signals can be complementary signals. The amplitude and/or frequency of the vibration signals can be adjustable.

First claim

We claim:

1. An implement vibration system for a vehicle having an implement, the implement vibration system comprising:
a vibration activation device;
an operator control that enables the operator to send implement commands to control movement of the implement;
an electrohydraulic mechanism that controls the movement of the implement;
an electronic controller that monitors the vibration activation device and sends movement signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism to control movement of the implement;
wherein the movement signals sent by the electronic controller to the electrohydraulic mechanism are based on the implement commands; and
wherein when the vibration activation device is activated, the electronic controller sends vibration signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism to cause the implement to vibrate, and superimposes the vibration signals on the movement signals sent to the electrohydraulic mechanism.

2. The implement vibration system of claim 1 , wherein the electrohydraulic mechanism comprises a hydraulic cylinder that controls the movement of the implement, and the vibration signals cause the hydraulic cylinder to repeatedly extend and retract.

3. The implement vibration system of claim 2 , wherein the electrohydraulic mechanism further comprises an electrohydraulic control valve that receives the movement signals from the electronic controller and controls hydraulic flow to extend and retract the hydraulic cylinder in accordance with the movement signals.

4. The implement vibration system of claim 3 , wherein the electrohydraulic control valve includes a first solenoid and a second solenoid that receive the movement signals and control position of the electrohydraulic control valve; and
wherein the vibration signals comprise a first signal sent to the first solenoid and a second signal sent to the second solenoid.

5. The implement vibration system of claim 4 , wherein the first signal and the second signal are complementary signals.

6. The implement vibration system of claim 1 , wherein the vibration signals have amplitude and frequency, and at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the vibration signals is adjustable.

7. The implement vibration system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shake detection device coupled to the operator control, where the shake detection device generates motion signals to indicate movement of the operator control;
wherein the electronic controller receives the implement commands and the motion signals, and when the motion signals exceed a motion threshold, the electronic controller superimposes the vibration signals on the movement signals.

8. The implement vibration system of claim 7 , wherein the shake detection device is a motion sensor.

9. An implement vibration system for a vehicle having an implement, the implement vibration system comprising:
a vibration activation device;
an operator control that enables the operator to send implement commands to control movement of the implement;
a shake detection device coupled to the operator control, where the shake detection device generates motion signals to indicate movement of the operator control;
an electrohydraulic mechanism that controls the movement of the implement;
an electronic controller that monitors the vibration activation device, receives the implement commands and the motion signals, and sends movement signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism to control movement of the implement where the movement signals are based on the implement commands; and
wherein when the motion signals exceed a motion threshold or the vibration activation device is activated, the electronic controller superimposes vibration signals on the movement signals sent to the electrohydraulic mechanism to cause the implement to vibrate.

10. The implement vibration system of claim 9 , wherein the shake detection device is a motion sensor.

11. The implement vibration system of claim 9 , wherein the electronic controller monitors amplitude and frequency of operator movement of the operator control based on the motion signals, and the motion threshold comprises an amplitude threshold and a frequency threshold.

12. An implement vibration method for a vehicle having an implement, the method comprising:
monitoring a vibration activation device;
enabling an operator to send implement commands using an operator control to control movement of the implement;
controlling the movement of the implement with an electrohydraulic mechanism;
sending, by an electronic controller, movement signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism based on the implement commands; and
when the vibration activation device is activated, superimposing, by the electronic controller, vibration signals on the movement signals sent to the electrohydraulic mechanism to cause the implement to vibrate.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrohydraulic mechanism comprises a hydraulic cylinder that controls the movement of the implement, and wherein sending vibration signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism to cause the implement to vibrate comprises:
repeatedly sending an alternating sequence of extension and retraction signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism, the extension signals causing the hydraulic cylinder to extend and the retraction signals causing the hydraulic cylinder to retract.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the electrohydraulic mechanism further comprises an electrohydraulic control valve that receives the movement signals and controls hydraulic flow to the hydraulic cylinder; and wherein repeatedly sending an alternating sequence of extension and retraction signals comprises:
repeatedly sending the alternating sequence of extension and retraction signals to the electrohydraulic control valve, the extension signals causing the electrohydraulic control valve to increase flow to a first side of the hydraulic cylinder to extend the hydraulic cylinder, and the retraction signals causing the electrohydraulic control valve to increase flow to a second side of the hydraulic cylinder to retract the hydraulic cylinder.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electrohydraulic control valve includes a first solenoid and a second solenoid that receive the movement signals and control position of the electrohydraulic control valve; and wherein sending vibration signals to the electrohydraulic mechanism to cause the implement to vibrate comprises
sending a first signal to the first solenoid; and
sending a second signal to the second solenoid.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first signal and the second signal are complementary signals.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein monitoring a vibration activation device comprises:
receiving motion signals from a sensor indicating movement of the operator control; and
activating the vibration activation device when the motion signals exceed a motion threshold.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the vibration signals have amplitude and frequency, and the method further comprising:
monitoring a vibration signal adjustment control that enables the operator to select parameters of the vibration signals; and
when the vibration activation device is activated, generating the vibration signals based on the selected parameters.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein monitoring a vibration signal adjustment control that enables the operator to select parameters of the vibration signals comprises:
monitoring an amplitude control that enables the operator to select an amplitude for the vibration signals.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kenkel Aaron R
• Myers David J
• Dreger Timothy K

Classifications

• F15B2211/30525

  Directional control valves, e.g. 4/3-directional control valve · CPC title

• F15B2211/7733

  providing vibrating movement, e.g. dither control for emptying a bucket · CPC title

• E02F9/2004

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

• B06B1/18 Primary

  wherein the vibrator is actuated by pressure fluid (B06B1/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E02F3/407 Primary

  with ejecting {or other unloading} device · CPC title