Machine centric control for compaction machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613180-B2
Application number	US-202016811974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2020
Priority date	Mar 6, 2020
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A construction machine that frequently changes between a forward and reverse direction of movement includes a system and method for operating the machine such that rotation of the operator seat can change the direction and speed of the machine's movement to minimize disorientation by the operator. The machine can be changed from moving in the forward direction to moving in the reverse direction, without changing the position of a propel lever or joystick that is used to control the direction and speed of the machine's movement. Rotation of the seat can be used to proportionally reduce the speed of the machine as the machine nears a threshold for changing direction. The joystick can be a dual axis lever that can move along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis. The direction of movement and speed of the machine can depend on a combination of the joystick position and seat position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A construction machine comprising:
an engine configured to move the machine in a forward direction and a reverse direction during a working mode of the machine, and the reverse direction is 180 degrees to the forward direction;
an operator seat attached to the machine and rotatable to move the operator seat among various positions on the machine; and
a dual axis lever attached to the operator seat and movable among various positions in a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction to move the machine at various speeds in the forward and reverse directions,
wherein a direction of movement of the machine in the forward or reverse direction is responsive to and is controlled by a position of the operator seat, a longitudinal position of the lever, and a lateral position of the lever, and
wherein a speed of movement of the machine in the forward or reverse direction is responsive to and is controlled by the position of the operator seat, and the longitudinal and lateral positions of the lever.

2. The construction machine of claim 1 comprising:
a control system configured to control the direction of movement and speed of the machine as a function of the position of the operator seat and the lateral and longitudinal positions of the lever.

3. The construction machine of claim 2 , wherein the control system reduces the speed of movement of the machine when the operator seat is positioned at an angle more than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees to the direction of movement in the forward or reverse direction, if the lateral and longitudinal positions of the lever remain unchanged during rotation of the operator seat.

4. The construction machine of claim 1 , wherein the lever is attached to a right arm of the operator seat.

5. The construction machine of claim 1 , wherein the lever is attached to a left arm of the operator seat.

6. The construction machine of claim 1 , wherein the operator seat is rotatable at least 90 degrees in either direction from a starting position.

7. The construction machine of claim 1 , wherein the operator seat is rotatable 180 degrees in either direction from a starting position.

8. The construction machine of claim 1 , wherein the machine is a compactor.

9. The construction machine of claim 1 , wherein the machine is a piece of earth moving equipment.

10. A control system for controlling a direction of movement and speed of a construction machine that moves in a forward and reverse direction during a working mode of the machine, the reverse direction being 180 degrees to the forward direction, the control system comprising:
an operator seat attachable to the machine and rotatable to move the operator seat among various positions on the machine; and
a lever attached to the operator seat and movable about two axes, a first axis being a longitudinal axis, a second axis being a lateral axis, and an origin corresponding to a neutral position of the lever,
wherein a direction of movement of the machine in the forward and reverse directions is responsive to and is controlled by a position of the operator seat, a position of the lever on the longitudinal axis, and a position of the lever on the lateral axis, and
wherein a speed of movement of the machine in the forward and reverse directions is responsive to and is controlled by the position of the operator seat and the position of the lever on the longitudinal and lateral axes.

11. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the control system prevents movement of the machine when the operator seat is positioned in one or more predetermined positions on the machine and the lever is positioned in one or more predetermined positions.

12. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the control system reduces the speed of movement of the machine when the operator seat rotates to an angle more than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees to the forward and reverse directions of the machine, if the position of the lever on the lateral and longitudinal axes remain unchanged during rotation of the operator seat.

13. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the reduction in speed is proportional to the angle, and the control system continues to reduce the speed of movement as the operator seat rotates and the angle increases.

14. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the lever is attached to the operator seat.

15. A method of operating a construction machine that moves in a forward and reverse direction during a working mode, the reverse direction 180 degrees relative to the forward direction, the construction machine having an operator seat and a dual-axis lever movable on a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, the method comprising:
positioning the seat to generally face in the forward direction;
moving the machine in the forward direction by moving the lever in the forward direction, a speed of the machine depending on a distance of the lever from neutral on the longitudinal axis;
rotating the seat at least 90 degrees to change a position of the seat from facing in the forward direction to generally facing in the reverse direction, the machine changing from moving in the forward direction to moving in the reverse direction when the seat is at an angle of approximately 90 degrees to the forward direction, and the machine decreases in speed in the forward direction as the angle increases to 90 degrees; and
moving the machine in the reverse direction,
wherein the machine is capable of changing from the forward to reverse direction without moving the lever and instead in response to and controlled by rotating the seat.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
rotating the seat back to generally facing in the forward direction to repeat moving the machine in the forward direction.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
adjusting the lever on at least one of the lateral axis or longitudinal axis to increase or decrease the speed of the machine in the reverse direction.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein adjusting the lever is performed before, after or simultaneous to rotating the seat.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein rotating the seat at least 90 degrees includes rotating the seat approximately 180 degrees to move the seat from facing in a first direction corresponding to the forward movement of the machine to facing in a second direction corresponding to the reverse movement of the machine.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein positioning the seat to generally face in the forward direction includes positioning the seat such that the angle is approximately 45 degrees to the forward direction, and rotating the seat at least 90 degrees includes rotating the seat approximately 90 degrees to move the seat to a second angle that is approximately 45 degrees to the reverse direction.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Paving Products Inc

Inventors

• Hedrington Mathew J

Classifications

• G05G1/52 Primary

  Controlling members specially adapted for actuation by other parts of the human body than hand or foot · CPC title

• G05G1/62

  Arm rests · CPC title

• G05G9/04788

  comprising additional control elements · CPC title

• E01C2301/30

  Cabin details · CPC title

• B60K2026/024

  Adjustable consoles, e.g. for changing position of mounting casings · CPC title