Automatic Control Of A Refuse Front End Loader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016355335-A1
Application number	US-201615244291-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 23, 2016
Priority date	May 17, 2013
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automatic control system for a refuse vehicle includes a mode select switch disposed within the vehicle that generates a mode select signal based on input from an operator of the vehicle, a control mechanism disposed within the vehicle that operates in response to the mode select signal, and a plurality of sensors adapted to sense a plurality of characteristics of the vehicle and adapted to communicate the plurality of sensed characteristics. The system further includes a control module that receives control instructions from the control mechanism and selectively controls at least one component of a plurality of components of the vehicle based on the mode select signal, at least one of the plurality of sensed characteristics, and the control instructions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An automatic control system of a refuse vehicle comprising:
a first switch that is actuatable by an operator of the refuse vehicle; a mode select module that: (i) sets a selected mode to a first mode when the first switch is in a first position; and (ii) sets the selected mode to a second mode when the first switch is in a second position; a joystick controller that: (i) when the selected mode is the first mode:
(a) in response to actuation of a joystick along a first axis, generates control instructions to actuate a lift arm; and
(b) in response to actuation of the joystick along a second axis, generates the control instructions to actuate a fork; and
(ii) when the selected mode is the second mode:
(a) in response to actuation of the joystick along a third axis, generates the control instructions to actuate the lift arm and the fork away from a starting position and toward a dump position; and
(b) in response to actuation of the joystick along a fourth axis, generates the control instructions to actuate the lift arm and the fork away from the dump position and toward the starting position;
a plurality of sensors that sense a plurality of characteristics of the vehicle; and a control module that actuates the lift arm and the fork based on the control instructions and at least one of the plurality of sensed characteristics.

2 . The automatic control system of claim 1 wherein:
the third axis is different than the fourth axis; and
the first axis is different than the second axis.

3 . The automatic control system of claim 1 wherein the joystick controller, (i) when the selected mode is the first mode:
(a) in response to actuation of the joystick along the first axis, generates control instructions to actuate the lift arm and not a fork; and
(b) in response to actuation of the joystick along the second axis, generates the control instructions to actuate the fork and not the lift arm.

4 . The automatic control system of claim 1 further comprising:
a second switch that is actuatable by the operator of the refuse vehicle,
wherein the mode select module (ii) sets the selected mode to the second mode in response to actuation of the second switch when the first switch is in the second position.

5 . The automatic control system of claim 1 wherein:
the plurality of sensors include:
an arm position sensor that measures a position of the lift arm; and
a fork position sensor that measures a position of the fork; and
the control module actuates the lift arm and the fork based on the control instructions, the position of the lift arm, and the position of the fork.

6 . The automatic control system of claim 5 wherein, when the selected mode is the second mode, the control module actuates the lift arm and the fork based on the control instructions, the position of the lift arm, the position of the fork, and keeping a refuse container level.

7 . The automatic control system of claim 5 wherein, when the selected mode is the second mode, the control module actuates at least one of the lift arm and the fork, thereby rolling a refuse container into a hopper of the refuse vehicle, in response to a determination that the refuse container is above an operator cab of the refuse vehicle.

8 . The automatic control system of claim 7 wherein the control module determines whether the refuse container is above the operator cab of the refuse vehicle based on the position of the lift arm measured using the arm position sensor and the position of the fork measured using the fork position sensor.

9 . The automatic control system of claim 1 wherein the control module controls a pressure of hydraulic fluid applied to a primary control valve, thereby controlling actuation of the lift arm.

10 . The automatic control system of claim 1 wherein the control module controls a pressure of hydraulic fluid applied to a primary control valve, thereby controlling actuation of the fork.

11 . An automatic control method for a refuse vehicle comprising:
setting a selected mode to a first mode when a first switch, actuatable by an operator of the refuse vehicle, is in a first position; setting the selected mode to a second mode when the first switch is in a second position; when the selected mode is the second mode:
in response to actuation of a joystick along a first axis, generating control instructions to actuate a lift arm; and
in response to actuation of the joystick along a second axis, generating the control instructions to actuate a fork;
when the selected mode is the second mode:
in response to actuation of the joystick along a third axis, generating the control instructions to actuate the lift arm and the fork away from a starting position and toward a dump position; and
in response to actuation of the joystick along a fourth axis, generating the control instructions to actuate the lift arm and the fork away from the dump position and toward the starting position;
sensing, using a plurality of sensors, a plurality of characteristics of the vehicle; and actuating the lift arm and the fork based on the control instructions and at least one of the plurality of sensed characteristics.

12 . The automatic control method of claim 11 wherein:
the third axis is different than the fourth axis; and
the first axis is different than the second axis.

13 . The automatic control method of claim 11 wherein, (i) when the selected mode is the first mode, the generating the control instructions includes:
(a) response to actuation of the joystick along the first axis, generating the control instructions to actuate the lift arm and not the fork; and
(b) in response to actuation of the joystick along the second axis, generating the control instructions to actuate the fork and not the lift arm.

14 . The automatic control method of claim 11 wherein setting the selected mode to the second mode includes setting the selected mode to the second mode in response to actuation of a second switch, actuatable by the operator of the refuse vehicle, when the first switch is in the second position.

15 . The automatic control method of claim 11 wherein:
sensing the plurality of characteristics of the vehicle includes:
sensing a position of the lift arm using an arm position sensor; and
sensing a position of the fork using a fork position sensor; and

wherein actuating the lift arm and the fork includes actuating the lift arm and the fork based on the control instructions, the position of the lift arm, and the position of the fork.

16 . The automatic control method of claim 15 further comprising, when the selected mode is the second mode, actuating the lift arm and the fork based on the control instructions, the position of the lift arm, the position of the fork, and keeping a refuse container level.

17 . The automatic control method of claim 15 further comprising, when the selected mode is the second mode, actuating at least one of the lift arm and the fork, thereby rolling a refuse container into a hopper of the refuse vehicle, in response to a determination that the refuse container is above an operator cab of the refuse vehicle.

18 . The automatic control method of claim 17 further comprising determining whether the refuse container is above the operator cab of the refuse vehicle based on the position of the lift arm measured using the arm position sensor and the position of the fork measured using the fork position sensor.

19 . The automatic control method of claim 11 furthe

Assignees

• Heil Co

Inventors

• Whitfield Jr Ralph Waldo
• Ham Brian H
• Curotto John M
• Cooper Andrew Blaine
• Parker Brian T

Classifications

• B65F3/041 Primary

  Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers · CPC title

• B65F2003/025

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

• Y02W90/00

  Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation · CPC title

• B65F2003/0279

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

• B65F2003/146

  Sensors, e.g. pressure sensors · CPC title