System, method, and machine for position determination of thumb bucket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12392113-B2
Application number	US-202218073618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2022
Priority date	Dec 2, 2022
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

A work machine comprises a bucket attached to an end of a stick of the work machine as a work tool, a thumb pivotally coupled to the end of the stick, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to determine a current task of the work machine among scooping an object by the bucket or grabbing the object by the bucket and the thumb, based on an angle of the bucket, and calculate payload with a parameter of a center of gravity position of the payload based on the determined current task.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work machine comprising:
a bucket attached to an end of a stick of the work machine as a work tool;
a thumb pivotally coupled to the end of the stick; and
processing circuitry configured to
determine a current task of the work machine among scooping an object by the bucket or grabbing the object by the bucket and the thumb, based on an angle of the bucket,
automatically switch a center of gravity position of payload based on the determined current task, and
calculate the payload with a parameter of the center of gravity position of the payload based on the determined current task.

2. The work machine according to claim 1 ,
wherein the angle of the bucket is an angle of a line between an end point of the bucket and a base point of the bucket from a horizontal line in a side view of the work machine.

3. The work machine according to claim 2 ,
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the current task based on a velocity vector of the end point of the bucket.

4. The work machine according to claim 2 ,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the current task of the work machine is grabbing the object under a condition that the angle of the bucket is within a predetermined range in the side view of the work machine.

5. The work machine according to claim 4 ,
wherein the predetermined range of the angle of the bucket is identified by a first value and a second value, the first value being defined clockwise from the horizontal line and the second value being defined counterclockwise from the horizontal line in the side view of the work machine.

6. The work machine according to claim 1 ,
wherein the parameter of the center of gravity position of the payload in a case that the current task of the work machine is grabbing the object is different from the parameter of the center of gravity position of the payload in a case that the current task of the work machine is scooping the object.

7. The work machine according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output information of the current task of the work machine on a display.

8. The work machine according to claim 7 ,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output the information of the current task of the work machine by an icon of the current task on the display.

9. The work machine according to claim 7 ,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output selectable information to select a mode for calculating the payload on the display.

10. A method for controlling a work machine comprising:
determining, using circuitry of the work machine, a current task of the work machine among scooping an object by a bucket or grabbing the object by the bucket and a thumb, based on an angle of the bucket, the bucket being attached to an end of a stick of the work machine as a work tool and the thumb being pivotally coupled to the end of the stick;
automatically switching, using the circuitry of the work machine, a center of gravity position of payload based on the determined current task;
calculating, using the circuitry of the work machine, the payload with a parameter of the center of gravity position of the payload based on the determined current task; and
outputting, using the circuitry of the work machine, on a display of the work machine, the calculated payload.

11. The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the angle of the bucket is an angle of a line between an end point of the bucket and a base point of the bucket from a horizontal line in a side view of the work machine.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
determining, using the circuitry of the work machine, the current task based on a velocity vector of the end point of the bucket.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
determining, using the circuitry of the work machine, that the current task of the work machine is grabbing the object under a condition that the angle of the bucket is within a predetermined range in the side view of the work machine.

14. The method according to claim 13 ,
wherein the predetermined range of the angle of the bucket is identified by a first value and a second value, the first value being defined clockwise from the horizontal line and the second value being defined counterclockwise from the horizontal line in the side view of the work machine.

15. The method according to claim 10 ,
wherein the parameter of the center of gravity position of the payload in a case that the current task of the work machine is grabbing the object is different from the parameter of the center of gravity position of the payload in a case that the current task of the work machine is scooping the object.

16. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
outputting, using the circuitry of the work machine, information of the current task of the work machine as an icon on the display.

17. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
outputting, using the circuitry of the work machine, selectable information to select a mode for calculating the payload on the display.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by an information processing system of a work machine, cause the information processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:
setting a mode for calculation of payload as an automatic mode;
determine a current task of the work machine among scooping an object by a bucket or grabbing the object by the bucket and a thumb, based on an angle of the bucket, the bucket being attached to an end of a stick of the work machine as a work tool and the thumb being pivotally coupled to the end of the stick; and
calculating payload with a parameter of a center of gravity position of the payload based on the determined current task,
wherein, said determining that the current task of the work machine is grabbing the object under a condition that the angle of the bucket is within a predetermined range in a side view of the work machine.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18 , wherein the parameter of the center of gravity position of the payload in a case that the current task of the work machine is grabbing the object is different from the parameter of the center of gravity position of the payload in a case that the current task of the work machine is scooping the object.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Sarl

Inventors

• Nakamoto Youzou
• Shirani Keisuke
• Aoki Michio

Classifications

• E02F3/4135

  with grabs mounted directly on a boom · CPC title

• E02F9/264

  Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool · CPC title

• E02F9/26 Primary

  Indicating devices {(E02F5/145 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E02F3/404 Primary

  comprising two parts movable relative to each other, e.g. for gripping · CPC title