Integrated operator centric controls

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059436-B2
Application number	US-202017007163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Feb 14, 2019
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle includes a rolling chassis structure and a working component coupled to the rolling chassis structure. The rolling chassis structure includes a chassis, a non-working component, and a control interface. The non-working component is coupled to the chassis and is configured to facilitate transit operations for the rolling chassis structure. The control interface is disposed in a cab area of the chassis. The control interface is communicably coupled to the non-working component and is configured to control operation of the non-working component. The working component is configured to move relative to the chassis and is communicably coupled to the control interface. The control interface is configured to control movement of the working component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a rolling chassis structure, comprising:
a chassis;
a non-working component onboard the chassis and installed into the vehicle as part of the rolling chassis structure, the non-working component configured to facilitate transit operations for the rolling chassis structure; and
a control interface disposed in a cab area of the chassis and installed into the vehicle as part of the rolling chassis structure, the control interface communicably coupled to the non-working component and configured to control operation of the non-working component;

a working component coupled to the rolling chassis structure and forming a body portion of the vehicle that moves relative to the rolling chassis structure; and
a control interface module communicably coupled to the control interface and configured to change operation of the control interface to control movement of the working component.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control interface comprises a plurality of actuators, wherein a first actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured to control the working component, and wherein a second actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured to control the non-working component.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control interface comprises a function control switch and an actuator, wherein the function control switch is configured to toggle between a first mode of operation in which the actuator controls the non-working component and a second mode of operation in which the actuator controls the working component.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a refuse truck, and wherein the working component is one of a front-end loading system configured to control a position of a refuse container assembly of the refuse truck, a compaction control system configured to control a position of a compactor of the refuse truck, and an access door position control system configured to control a position of an access door to a refuse container of the refuse truck.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a concrete mixer, and wherein the working component is one of a drum drive system configured to control rotation of a mixing drum of the concrete mixer, and a chute position control system configured to control a position of a delivery chute of the concrete mixer.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the non-working component is one of a radio, an air conditioning system component, a heating system component, a camera system, seat heaters, a cruise control system, a display, rear-view mirror, or a windshield wiper.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control interface is a steering wheel control interface comprising a plurality of actuators disposed on a steering wheel of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control interface is a hands-free calling system comprising a microphone configured to receive verbal commands, and wherein the hands-free calling system is configured to control the working component based on the verbal commands.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control interface comprises a stereo system, and wherein the stereo system is configured to alert an operator of an operational status of the working component.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control interface is an on-chassis weighing system configured to determine a weight of the vehicle and to control the working component based on the weight.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control interface is a camera system, wherein the camera system comprises a camera configured to monitor a vehicle condition and control the working component based on the vehicle condition.

12. A control system, comprising:
a control interface mountable in a cab area of a vehicle, the control interface configured to receive user commands; and
a first control interface module communicably coupled to the control interface, the control interface module communicably couplable to a non-working component of the vehicle that is installed into the vehicle as part of a rolling chassis structure of the vehicle, the non-working component configured to facilitate transit operations for the vehicle;
a second control interface module communicably coupled to the first control interface module, the second control interface module communicably couplable to a working component of the vehicle, the working component forming a body portion of the vehicle that moves relative to the rolling chassis structure, the working component configured to facilitate non-transit operations for the vehicle, the second control interface module modifying operation of the first control interface module to allow the control interface to control the working component based on the user commands.

13. The control interface module of claim 12 , wherein the control interface comprises a plurality of actuators, wherein a first actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured to generate a non-working component command to control the non-working component, and a second actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured to generate a working component command to control the working component.

14. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the control interface comprises a function control switch and an actuator, wherein the function control switch is configured to toggle between a first mode of operation in which the user commands from the actuator controls the non-working component and a second mode of operation in which the user commands from the actuator controls the working component.

15. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle is one of a refuse truck or a concrete mixer, and wherein the working component is configured to move relative to a chassis of the vehicle.

16. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the control interface is a steering wheel control interface comprising a plurality of actuators disposed on a steering wheel of the vehicle, and wherein the user commands are generated by manually manipulating the plurality of actuators.

17. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the control interface is a hands-free calling system comprising a microphone, and wherein the user commands are verbal commands provided to the microphone.

18. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the control interface comprises a stereo system, and wherein the stereo system is configured to alert an operator of the user commands and an operational status of the working component.

19. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the control interface comprises an on-chassis weighing system configured to determine a weight of the vehicle, and wherein the user commands are based on the weight.

20. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the control interface comprises a camera system configured to monitor a vehicle condition, and wherein the user commands are based on the vehicle condition.

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Wildgrube Grant
• Rocholl Joshua D
• Clifton Cody D
• Kellander John T

Classifications

• B60K35/53

  Movable instruments, e.g. slidable · CPC title

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60K35/10 Primary

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B65F3/02

  with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto (conveyor construction B65G; loaders separate from vehicles B66F; fluid power control systems in general F15B) · CPC title