IP Library Granted Patent US 8,849,556
Granted Patent B2
US 8,849,556 · App. 13/284,736 · Granted Sep 30, 2014

Automatic leveling control

Inventors: Jeff Solbrack (Colfax, WA); Dennis R. Solbrack (Colfax, WA)
Assignee: Papé Machinery
B60G17/01908B60G17/0165B60G2500/30B60G2400/10B60G17/0162B60G17/02B60G99/002
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,849,556
App. No.
13/284,736
Granted
Sep 30, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide leveling for a vehicle, such as an overland vehicle. Sensors associated with the vehicle may provide signals representing one or more operating conditions of the vehicle, including forces acting on the vehicle and a path of travel of the vehicle. The vehicle can be leveled based on one or more of the signals from the sensors.

Claims (41)

1. A method of leveling a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, from a first vehicle sensor, a first signal representing a lateral force acting on the vehicle;

generating a leveling signal based on at least the first signal;

receiving, from a second vehicle sensor, a second signal representing a path of travel of the vehicle;

adjusting the leveling signal to form an adjusted leveling signal based on at least the first signal and the second signal when the second signal indicates a curved path of travel; and

leveling the vehicle using the adjusted leveling signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from a third vehicle sensor, a third signal representing a speed of the vehicle; and wherein the vehicle is leveled based on a combination of the first, second, and third signals.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting the leveling signal by adjusting the first signal based on at least the second and third signals.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the third signal represents a speed of rotation of a component of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal is based on an orientation of the vehicle with respect to gravity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first signal is based at least in part on a centrifugal force acting on the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second signal represents a wheel angle of the vehicle.

8. An automatic leveling system for a vehicle, comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor;

a plurality of sensors coupled to the vehicle;

an adjustment module stored in the memory and operable on the processor to:

receive, from a first vehicle sensor, a first signal representing a lateral force acting on the vehicle;

generate a leveling signal based on at least the first signal;

receive, from a second vehicle sensor, a second signal representing a direction of travel of the vehicle; and

adjust the leveling signal based on at least the first signal and the second signal to produce an adjusted leveling signal; and

a leveling module stored in the memory and operable on the processor to:

receive the adjusted leveling signal; and

level the vehicle based on the adjusted leveling signal.

9. The system of claim 8 , the adjustment module configured to receive one or more other signals representing operating conditions of the vehicle, and configured to generate the leveling signal based on at least the first signal, the second signal, and the one or more other signals.

10. The system of claim 8 , the adjustment module configured to receive a third signal representing a speed of the vehicle, and configured to generate the leveling signal based on at least the first, second, and third signals.

11. The system of claim 8 , the adjustment module comprising a filter configured to filter sensor data based on a preset rate of change of the sensor data, the adjustment module configured to generate the leveling signal based on the filtered sensor data.

12. The system of claim 8 , the leveling module configured to generate at least one of a left actuation signal and a right actuation signal based on the adjusted leveling signal.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first vehicle sensor comprises a clinometer configured to indicate a lateral tilt of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second vehicle sensor comprises a wheel angle sensor configured to indicate an angle of at least one wheel of the vehicle with respect to a centerline of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment module is operational to adjust the leveling signal based on a portion of the first signal representing a centrifugal force acting on the vehicle.

16. A method of adjusting a leveling system for an overland vehicle, comprising:

receiving, from a clinometer, a first signal comprising a vehicle lateral tilt signal;

generating a leveling signal based on the first signal;

receiving a second signal comprising a vehicle speed signal and a third signal comprising a wheel angle signal;

adjusting the leveling signal based on the second signal, the third signal, or the second signal and the third signal to produce an adjusted leveling signal; and

outputting the adjusted leveling signal to the leveling system for leveling the overland vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising filtering one or more of the first, second, and third signals to remove transient waveforms from the one or more of the first, second, and third signals.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising generating a correction signal based on the second signal, the third signal, or the second signal and the third signal, filtering the correction signal to match a rate of change of the filtered one or more of the first, second, and third signals, and adjusting the leveling signal with the filtered correction signal.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the adjusted leveling signal comprises the first signal combined with the filtered correction signal.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising subtracting the filtered correction signal from one or more inputs to the leveling system.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2016
From: PAPE' MACHINERY, INC
To: HILLCO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 040953/0875 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2015
From: ARROW MACHINERY, INC.
To: PAPE' MACHINERY, INC.
Reel/Frame 036051/0609 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2013
From: SOLBRACK, DIANA K.; SOLBRACK, DENNIS R.; SOLBRACK, JEFF
To: PAPE' MACHINERY, INC.
Reel/Frame 029726/0392 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2011
From: SOLBRACK, JEFF; SOLBRACK, DENNIS R.
To: ARROW MACHINERY, INC.
Reel/Frame 027151/0461 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130110389A1 · May 2, 2013