Refuse collection vehicle positioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12291395-B2
Application number	US-202318179244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2023
Priority date	Apr 23, 2019
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A refuse collection vehicle includes a fork assembly that is operable to engage one or more fork pockets of a refuse container, a lift arm that is operable to lift a refuse container, and at least one sensor that is configured to collect data indicating a position of the one or more fork pockets of the refuse container. A position of at least one of the fork assembly or the lift arm is adjusted in response to the data collected by the at least one sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refuse collection vehicle comprising:
a fork assembly including one or more forks configured to engage one or more respective fork pockets of a refuse container;
a lift arm coupled to the fork assembly, the lift arm operable to lift the refuse container while the fork assembly is engaged with the one or more fork pockets;
at least one position sensor configured to collect data indicating a positioning of the lift arm relative to a surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned;
at least one container detection sensor configured to generate sensor data describing the one or more fork pockets of the refuse container, wherein the one or more forks are rotatable, about an axis parallel to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned, relative to the at least one container detection sensor and the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned; and
a computing device communicatively coupled to the fork assembly and the lift arm, the computing device programmed to perform operations comprising:
receiving the sensor data describing the one or more fork pockets of the refuse container;
analyzing the sensor data to determine a position of each fork pocket;
determining, by the computing device, a positioning of the lift arm relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned based on the data provided by the at least one position sensor arranged to collect data indicating the positioning of the lift arm;
determining, by the computing device, a height of one or more ends of one or more forks of the fork assembly relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned based on the positioning of the lift arm relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned;
determining, by the computing device, an amount and a direction of travel of the lift arm required to align the one or more ends of the one or more forks with the position of each fork pocket of the one or more fork pockets based on the height of the one or more ends of the one or more forks and the position of each fork pocket of the one or more fork pockets; and
moving the lift arm in the determined amount and the determined direction of travel.

2. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is programmed to perform operations comprising automatically adjusting a positioning of the lift arm relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned.

3. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise adjusting an angular position of at least one of the one or more forks of the fork assembly relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned.

4. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one container detection sensor comprises at least one of a camera or an analog ultrasonic sensor.

5. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor data describing the one or more fork pockets of the refuse container comprises data indicating a position of two or more sides of each fork pocket of the one or more fork pockets; and
the operations further comprise determining the position of the center of each fork pocket of the one or more fork pockets based on the position of the two or more sides of the respective fork pocket.

6. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
rotating the one or more forks relative to the at least one container detection sensor.

7. The refuse collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the lift arm is rotatable relative to the at least one container detection sensor and the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned.

8. A method of operating a refuse collection vehicle to collect refuse from a refuse container, the method comprising:
receiving, by at least one processor, sensor data describing one or more fork pockets of the refuse container, wherein the refuse collection vehicle comprises at least one container detection sensor configured to generate the sensor data;
analyzing the sensor data describing the one or more fork pockets of the refuse container to determine a position of each fork pocket;
determining, by the at least one processor, a positioning of a lift arm of the refuse collection vehicle relative to a surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned based on data provided by one or more body sensors;
determining, by the at least one processor, a height of one or more ends of one or more forks of a fork assembly of the refuse collection vehicle relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned based on the positioning of the lift arm relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned, wherein the one or more forks are rotatable, about an axis parallel to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned, relative to the at least one container detection sensor and the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned;
determining, by the at least one processor, an amount and a direction of travel of the lift arm required to align the one or more ends of the one or more forks with the position of each fork pocket of the one or more fork pockets based on the height of the one or more ends of the one or more forks and the position of each fork pocket of the one or more fork pockets; and
transmitting, by at least one processor, a signal to cause the lift arm to move the determined amount and the determined direction of travel.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein transmitting, by the at least one processor, a signal to cause the lift arm to move the determined amount and the determined direction of travel comprises transmitting, by the at least one processor, a signal to cause a positioning of the lift arm to be adjusted relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting, by the at least one processor, a signal to cause an angular position of one or more forks of the fork assembly to be adjusted relative to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the sensor data describing one or more fork pockets of the refuse container comprises data indicating a position of two or more sides of each fork pocket of the one or more fork pockets; and
the method further comprises determining the position of the center of each fork pocket of the one or more fork pockets based on the position of the sides of the respective fork pocket.

12. A refuse collection vehicle comprising:
a fork assembly including one or more forks configured to engage one or more respective fork pockets of a refuse container;
a lift arm coupled to the fork assembly, the lift arm operable to lift the refuse container while the fork assembly is engaged with the one or more fork pockets;
at least one position sensor configured to collect data indicating an angular position of the fork assembly relative to a surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned;
at least one container detection sensor configured to generate sensor data describing the one or more fork pockets of the refuse container, wherein the one or more forks are rotatable, about an axis parallel to the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned, relative to the at least one container detection sensor and the surface on which the refuse collection vehicle is positioned; and
a computing device communicatively coupled to the fork assembly and the lift arm, the computing d

Assignees

• Heil Co

Inventors

• Williams Robert B
• Maroney Stanley L

Classifications

• B66F9/0755

  Position control; Position detectors · CPC title

• B65F2003/0279

  the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle · CPC title

• B65F2003/025

  Constructional features relating to actuating means for lifting or tipping containers · CPC title

• B65F2003/0283

  between the cab and the collection compartment · CPC title

• B65F3/043 Primary

  with additional means for keeping the receptacle substantially vertical during raising · CPC title