System and method for control of a work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10633826-B2
Application number	US-201615388761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A dual mode control system for a work vehicle includes a hydraulic system configured to drive a loader assembly and a dozer assembly coupled to the work vehicle. The hydraulic system includes a fluid delivery system comprising a plurality of flow paths fluidly coupled to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic system includes a valve assembly configured to regulate diversion of fluid into a first and a second hydraulic cylinders coupled to the fluid delivery system to adjust the loader assembly, or into a third cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system to adjust the dozer assembly. The dual mode control system also includes a controller operably coupled to the valve assembly, and one or more user interfaces coupled to the controller to enable an operator to provide inputs to cause the controller to adjust the valve assembly, and to thereby adjust the loader assembly or the dozer assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dual mode control system for a work vehicle, comprising:
a hydraulic system configured to drive a first assembly and a second assembly coupled to the work vehicle, comprising:
a hydraulic pump;
a fluid delivery system comprising a plurality of flow paths fluidly coupled to the hydraulic pump;
a first hydraulic cylinder and a second hydraulic cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to drive a first material handling attachment of the first assembly;
a third hydraulic cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to drive a second material handling attachment of the second assembly; and
a valve assembly coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to regulate diversion of fluid into fewer than all of the plurality of flow paths and to regulate one or more flow parameters, wherein the valve assembly comprises a first control valve, a second control valve, and a third control valve, wherein the first control valve regulates the diversion of the fluid into:
a first flow path that extends to the second control valve that regulates the diversion of the fluid into a first plurality of axial ends of the first, second, and third hydraulic cylinders; and
a second flow path that extends to the third control valve that regulates the diversion of the fluid into a second plurality of axial ends of the first, second, and third hydraulic cylinders; and

a controller operably coupled to the valve assembly, wherein the controller is configured to control the valve assembly to regulate the diversion of the fluid in response to a first type of instruction received by the controller indicating selection of a first operating function or a second operating function of the work vehicle and to regulate the one or more flow parameters in response to a second type of instruction provided to the controller by a user interface, wherein, when the first operating function is selected, a movement of the user interface by an operator causes the controller to adjust the valve assembly to adjust the first material handling attachment and, when the second operating function is selected, the movement of the user interface by the operator causes the controller to adjust the valve assembly to adjust the second material handling attachment.

2. The dual mode control system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second hydraulic cylinders are configured to move the first material handling attachment in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction, and the third hydraulic cylinder is configured to move the second material handling attachment in a third rotational direction or a fourth rotational direction.

3. The dual mode control system of claim 1 , wherein the first type of instruction is provided to the controller automatically via a sensor when the second assembly is coupled to the work vehicle.

4. The dual mode control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to an additional user interface to enable the operator to input the first type of instruction and is communicatively coupled to the user interface to enable the operator to input the second type of instruction.

5. The dual mode control system of claim 4 , wherein the user interface comprises a joystick, a lever, or a handgrip within the work vehicle, and the additional user interface comprises a switch disposed on a console of the work vehicle.

6. The dual mode control system of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment is a loader assembly and the second attachment is a dozer assembly.

7. A dual mode control system for a work vehicle, comprising:
a hydraulic system configured to drive a loader assembly and a dozer assembly coupled to the work vehicle, comprising:
a hydraulic pump;
a fluid delivery system comprising a plurality of flow paths fluidly coupled to the hydraulic pump;
a first hydraulic cylinder and a second hydraulic cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to adjust a loader bucket of the loader assembly;
a third hydraulic cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to adjust a dozer blade of the dozer assembly;
a valve assembly coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to regulate diversion of the fluid into fewer than all of the plurality of flow paths and to regulate one or more flow parameters, wherein the valve assembly comprises a first control valve, a second control valve, and a third control valve, wherein the first control valve regulates the diversion of the fluid into:
flow paths that extend to the second control valve that regulates the fluid into first axial ends and second axial ends of the first and second hydraulic cylinders; and
flow paths that extend to the third control valve that regulates the fluid into a first axial end and a second axial end of the third hydraulic cylinder;

a controller operably coupled to the valve assembly;
a first user interface communicatively coupled to the controller to enable an operator to provide inputs indicative of a selection of a loader function or a dozer function of the work vehicle to cause the controller to adjust the valve assembly to regulate the diversion of the fluid; and
a second user interface communicatively coupled to the controller to enable the operator to adjust the loader bucket when the loader function is selected and to adjust the dozer blade when the dozer function is selected.

8. The dual mode control system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second hydraulic cylinders are configured to adjust the loader bucket in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction, and the third hydraulic cylinder is configured to adjust the dozer blade in a third rotational direction or a fourth rotational direction.

9. The dual mode control system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to regulate the diversion of the fluid according to the inputs provided by the first user interface, wherein the first user interface comprises a switch disposed on a console of the work vehicle.

10. The dual mode control system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to regulate the one or more flow parameters to adjust the loader bucket or the dozer blade according to an instruction provided by the second user interface, wherein, when the loader function of the work vehicle is selected, a movement of the second user interface by the operator causes the controller to adjust the valve assembly to adjust the loader bucket and, when the dozer function of the work vehicle is selected, the movement of the second user interface by the operator causes the controller to adjust the valve assembly to adjust the dozer blade.

11. A dual mode control system for a work vehicle, comprising:
a hydraulic system configured to drive a first assembly and a second assembly coupled to the work vehicle, comprising:
a hydraulic pump;
a fluid delivery system comprising a plurality of flow paths fluidly coupled to the hydraulic pump;
a first hydraulic cylinder and a second hydraulic cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to drive a first material handling attachment of the first assembly;
a third hydraulic cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to drive a second material handling attachment of the second assembly; and
a valve assembly coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to regulate diversion of fluid into fewer than all of the plurality of flow paths and to regulate one or more flow parameters, wherein the valve assembly comprises a first control valve, a second control valve, and a third control valve, wherein the first control valve regulates the diversion of the fluid into:
flow pa

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Newlin Timothy Aaron
• Grossman Allan Paul
• Natzke David R
• Szurpicki Paul Francis
• Berggren Quinton James
• Lewis Brady Dorr
• Detra Neil A

Classifications

• E02F9/22

  Hydraulic or pneumatic drives {(for dipper or bucket arm position control E02F3/43, for blade position control for graders E02F3/844; for turntables E02F9/121; for fork-lift trucks B66F9/22)} · CPC title

• F15B11/08

  with only one servomotor · CPC title

• F15B2211/665

  Methods of control using electronic components · CPC title

• F15B2211/41545

  being connected to multiple output members · CPC title

• E02F9/2235

  including an electronic controller · CPC title