Tool stabilizer system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10858799-B2
Application number	US-201916260770-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2019
Priority date	Jan 29, 2019
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A stabilizer system includes a first object that moves relative to a second object and includes a first actuator coupled to a first wear pad. The first actuator drives the first wear pad to contact a first side of the second object to control motion of the first object relative to the second object. The first actuator operates in a first mode and in a second mode. While operating in the first mode, the first actuator applies a first force to the first wear pad to block the motion of first object relative to the second object. While the first actuator is operating in the second mode, the first actuator applies a second force, lower than the first force, to the first wear pad to enable the motion of the first object relative to the second object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stabilizer system, comprising:
a first object configured to move relative to a second object;
a first actuator coupled to a first wear pad, the first actuator configured to drive the first wear pad to contact a first side of the second object to control motion of the first object relative to the second object; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the first actuator, the controller comprising a processor and a memory device comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor are configured to cause the processor to:
in a first mode apply a first force with the first actuator to substantially block the motion of the first object relative to the second object in response to receiving a first control signal indicative of terminating the motion of the first object relative to the second object; and
in a second mode apply a second force lower than the first force with the first actuator to enable the motion of the first object relative to the second object in response to receiving a second control signal indicative of imitating the motion of the first object relative to the second object.

2. The stabilizer system of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is fluidly coupled to a fluid reservoir and configured to receive fluid from the fluid reservoir, and a force applied by the first actuator is based on a pressure of the fluid received by the first actuator.

3. The stabilizer system of claim 2 , further comprising a valve assembly comprising a main control valve configured to control the motion of the first object relative to the second object along an actuation direction oriented along a length of the second object in response to the second control signal indicative of driving the motion of the first object relative to the second object.

4. The stabilizer system of claim 1 , wherein the first force and the second force are each applied along a direction orthogonal to an actuation direction of the first object relative the second object.

5. The stabilizer system of claim 1 , wherein the motion of the first object relative to the second object is oriented longitudinally along a length of the second object.

6. The stabilizer system of claim 1 , wherein the first object is an outer dipper of a backhoe boom, and the second object is an inner dipper of a backhoe boom.

7. The stabilizer system of claim 3 , wherein the valve assembly is fluidly coupled to a fluid tank reservoir and configured to control a flow of the fluid between the fluid reservoir and the first actuator to control the first and second forces applied by the first actuator.

8. The stabilizer system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the valve assembly and configured to control a position of the valve assembly to control the flow of the fluid between the fluid reservoir and the first actuator to control the first and second forces applied by the first actuator in response to the first and second control signals, respectively, and wherein the first and second forces are configured to control the motion of the first object relative to the second object.

9. The stabilizer system of claim 7 , wherein the valve assembly further comprises a two-position, three-way valve configured to:
direct the fluid from the fluid tank reservoir to the first actuator while in a first configuration; and
direct the fluid from the first actuator to the fluid tank reservoir while in a second configuration.

10. A stabilizer system, comprising:
a first object configured to move relative to a second object;
a first actuator coupled to a first wear pad, the first actuator configured to drive the first wear pad to contact a first side of the second object to control motion of the first object relative to the second object, the first actuator further configured to operate in a first mode and in a second mode, the first actuator configured to apply a first force to the first wear pad to block the motion of first object relative to the second object while the first actuator is operating in the first mode, and the first actuator configured to apply a second force, lower than the first force, to the first wear pad to enable the motion of the first object relative to the second object while the first actuator is operating in the second mode; and
a second actuator coupled to a second wear pad, the second actuator configured to operate in the first mode and in the second mode, the second actuator configured to apply the first force to the second wear pad so as to block the motion of the first object relative to the second object while the first actuator and the second actuator are operating in the first mode, and the second actuator configured to apply the second force, lower than the first force, to the second wear pad to enable the motion of the first object relative to the second object while the first actuator and the second actuator are operating in the second mode.

11. The stabilizer system of claim 10 , wherein the second actuator is configured to drive the second wear pad to contact a second side of the first object to control the motion of the first object relative to the second object, and wherein the second side is positioned opposite the first side.

12. The stabilizer system of claim 10 , wherein the second actuator is configured to drive the first wear pad to contact the first side of the first object to control the motion of the first object relative to the second object.

13. A method to control a force applied by one or more actuators of a stabilizer system of a work vehicle, wherein the method comprises:
instructing, via a controller, a valve assembly of the stabilizer system to apply a force, by the one or more actuators, to substantially block motion of a first object relative to a second object of a backhoe tool of the work vehicle in response to receiving a first control signal indicative of terminating the motion of the first object relative to the second object;
instructing, via the controller, the valve assembly of the stabilizer system to reduce the force applied by the one or more actuators to enable the motion of the first object relative to the second object in response to receiving a second control signal indicative of imitating the motion of the first object relative to the second object; and
actuating, via the controller, the first object to move along an actuation direction oriented along a length of the second object so as to extend or shorten a dig length of the backhoe tool in response to the second control signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising initiating, via the controller, excavating operations in response to the one or more actuators maintaining the force.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein instructing the valve assembly of the stabilizer system to apply the force to substantially block the motion comprises actuating the one or more actuators to apply the force to one or more wear pads.

16. A controller of a work vehicle, the controller communicatively coupled to one or more actuators and a sensor assembly of a stabilizer system, the controller comprising a processor and a memory device comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor are configured to cause the processor to:
instruct a valve assembly of the stabilizer system to apply a force, by the one or more actuators, to substantially block motion of a first object relative to a second object of a backhoe tool of a work vehicle in response to receiving a first control signal indicative of terminating motion of the first object relative to the second objec

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Jackson Jeffrey
• Andreuccetti Christopher

Classifications

• E02F3/306 Primary

  with telescopic dipper-arm or boom · CPC title

• E02F9/226

  Safety arrangements, e.g. hydraulic driven fans, preventing cavitation, leakage, overheating · CPC title

• E02F3/964

  of several tools mounted on one machine (E02F3/962 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E02F9/2207

  for reducing or compensating oscillations · CPC title

• E02F3/435

  for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like · CPC title