IP Library Granted Patent US 11,858,735
Granted Patent B2
US 11,858,735 · App. 17/719,041 · Granted Jan 2, 2024

Refuse collection vehicle controls

Inventors: Stanley L Maroney (Attalla, AL); David G. Lewis (Chattanooga, TN); Robert B. Williams (Albertville, AL)
Assignee: The Heil Co.
B65F3/041B25J13/089B65F2003/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,858,735
App. No.
17/719,041
Granted
Jan 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refuse collection vehicle includes a grabber that is operable to engage a refuse container, a lift arm that is operable to lift a refuse container, at least one sensor that is arranged to collect data indicating an angular position of the grabber, at least one sensor that is arranged to collect data indicating a relative positioning of the lift arm, a first controller for adjusting the angular position of the grabber, and a second controller adjusting the relative positioning of the lift arm. The adjustment of the angular position of the grabber is coordinated with the adjustment of the relative positioning of the lift arm.

Claims (36)

1. A system for controlling operations of a refuse collection vehicle (RCV), the system comprising:

at least one controller configured to control a grabber of the RCV and a lift arm of the RCV, the grabber operable to engage a refuse container, the lift arm operable to lift the refuse container;

at least one processor communicably coupled to the at least one controller;

memory communicably coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions which, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving sensor data from at least one sensor on the RCV, the sensor data describing a current grabber positioning of the grabber and a current lift arm positioning of the lift arm;

receiving an indication of a preset grabber positioning selected using at least one controller that is communicably coupled to the system, the preset grabber positioning selected from a plurality of preset grabber positionings that are selectable using the at least one controller; and

in response to receiving the indication of the preset grabber positioning, moving the grabber into the preset grabber positioning while automatically adjusting the lift arm positioning relative to the grabber positioning during at least one operation to engage the refuse container, wherein the lift arm positioning is automatically adjusted relative to the grabber positioning based at least partly on the sensor data.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the preset grabber positionings corresponds to a respective height relative to a surface on which the RCV is positioned.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein automatically adjusting the lift arm positioning includes automatically adjusting the lift arm positioning such that a center of at least one end of a gripper arm of the grabber is positioned at the respective height that corresponds to the selected preset grabber positioning.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the preset grabber positionings corresponds to a respective refuse container size.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein moving the grabber into the preset grabber positioning includes automatically adjusting a distance between gripper arms of the grabber based on the respective refuse container size that corresponds to the preset grabber positioning.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the automatically adjusting of the distance between the gripper arms is based on the sensor data that describes a current pressure applied by the gripper arms to the refuse container.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to receive one or more inputs to adjust one or more of a height of the grabber, a rotational angle of the grabber, or an angle of the grabber relative to a surface on which the RCV is positioned.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting of the grabber positioning is constrained based on the current lift arm positioning that is determined based at least partly on the sensor data.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting of the lift arm positioning is constrained based on the current grabber positioning that is determined based at least partly on the sensor data.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller includes a first controller configured to control the grabber, and a second controller configured to control the lift arm.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one first sensor that collects first sensor data describing the current grabber positioning, and at least one second sensor that collects second sensor data describing the current lift arm positioning.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first sensor data describes one or more of:

a relative position of gripper arms of the grabber;

an angle of the grabber relative to a body of the RCV;

a rotational angle of the grabber;

a speed of movement of the gripper arms of the grabber; and

pressure being applied to the refuse container by the gripper arms of the grabber.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second sensor data describes one or more of:

a height of the lift arm relative to a surface on which the RCV is positioned; and

an amount of extension of the lift arm.

14. A method for controlling operations of a refuse collection vehicle (RCV), the method performed by at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data from at least one sensor on the RCV, the sensor data describing a current grabber positioning of a grabber of the RCV, and a current lift arm positioning of a lift arm of the RCV;

receiving an indication of a preset grabber positioning selected using at least one controller, the preset grabber positioning selected from a plurality of preset grabber positionings that are selectable using the at least one controller; and

in response to receiving the indication of the preset grabber positioning, moving the grabber into the preset grabber positioning while automatically adjusting the lift arm positioning relative to the grabber positioning during at least one operation to engage and lift a refuse container, wherein the lift arm positioning is automatically adjusted relative to the grabber positioning based at least partly on the sensor data.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein one or more of the preset grabber positionings corresponds to a respective height relative to a surface on which the RCV is positioned.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein automatically adjusting the lift arm positioning includes automatically adjusting the lift arm positioning such that a center of at least one end of a gripper arm of the grabber is positioned at the respective height that corresponds to the selected preset grabber positioning.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein one or more of the preset grabber positionings corresponds to a respective refuse container size.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein moving the grabber into the preset grabber positioning includes automatically adjusting a distance between gripper arms of the grabber based on the respective refuse container size that corresponds to the preset grabber positioning.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the adjusting of the grabber positioning is constrained based on the current lift arm positioning that is determined based at least partly on the sensor data.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the adjusting of the lift arm positioning is constrained based on the current grabber positioning that is determined based at least partly on the sensor data.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2024
From: THE HEIL CO.; TEREX USA, LLC; TEREX SOUTH DAKOTA, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 069177/0271 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2022
From: MARONEY, STANLEY L.; LEWIS, DAVID G.; WILLIAMS, ROBERT B.
To: THE HEIL CO.
Reel/Frame 059589/0856 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16857056 · Apr 23, 2020
Provisional Application 62837576 · Apr 23, 2019
Related Publication 20220234822A1 · Jul 28, 2022
Cited By (3)
US 12,240,692 US 12,291,395 US 12,391,471