IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,663,917
Granted Patent B2
US 9,663,917 · App. 15/101,106 · Granted May 30, 2017

Work vehicle, bucket device, and method for obtaining tilt angle

Inventors: Yuto Fujii (Hirakata, JP); Tsutomu Iwamura (Yokohama, JP); Masanobu Seki (Fujisawa, JP)
Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
E02F3/3681E02F3/40E02F9/265G01C15/12G01S19/45E02F3/32
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 9,663,917
App. No.
15/101,106
Granted
May 30, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hydraulic excavator is equipped with a bucket, a tilt cylinder, a fourth stroke sensor, and a bucket information computing unit. The bucket is able to rotate about the center of a tilt axis. The tilt cylinder causes the bucket to rotate about the center of the tilt axis. The fourth stroke sensor detects a stroke length of the tilt cylinder. The bucket information computing unit obtains a tilt angle of the bucket on the basis of the stroke length detected by the fourth stroke sensor.

Claims (39)

1. A work vehicle comprising:

a bucket configured to rotate about a tilt axis;

a tilt cylinder configured to cause the bucket to rotate about the tilt axis;

a stroke length detecting unit configured to detect a stroke length of the tilt cylinder; and

a bucket information computing unit configured to obtain a tilt angle of the bucket on the basis of the stroke length detected by the stroke length detecting unit,

the bucket information computing unit calculating an angle formed by a first line segment and a second line segment when viewing the tilt cylinder from an axial direction of the tilt axis, the first line segment linking a first end part and the tilt axis of the tilt cylinder, the second line segment linking a second end part and the tilt axis of the tilt cylinder,

the bucket information computing unit using the formed angle to calculate the tilt angle.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the bucket information computing unit calculates a difference between the formed angle and a reference angle at a reference position of the bucket as the tilt angle.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein

the bucket information computing unit specifies a position of the bucket on the basis of the tilt angle.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising

a display unit configured to display the bucket; and

a display controller configured to cause the bucket to be displayed on the display unit on the basis of the tilt angle.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the first end part of the tilt cylinder is coupled to the bucket;

the second end part of the tilt cylinder is positioned between the tilt axis and the bucket when viewing the tilt cylinder from the axial direction; and

an interval between the first end part and the second end part in a horizontal direction is no less than the first line segment.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the first end part of the tilt cylinder is coupled to the bucket; and

the second end part of the tilt cylinder is positioned on the opposite side of the bucket relative to a horizontal plane passing through the tilt axis when viewing the tilt cylinder from the axial direction.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the bucket information computing unit specifies a position of the bucket on the basis of the tilt angle.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising

a display unit configured to display the bucket; and

a display controller configured to cause the bucket to be displayed on the display unit on the basis of the tilt angle.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the first end part of the tilt cylinder is coupled to the bucket;

the second end part of the tilt cylinder is positioned between the tilt axis and the bucket when viewing the tilt cylinder from the axial direction; and

an interval between the first end part and the second end part in a horizontal direction is no less than the first line segment.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the first end part of the tilt cylinder is coupled to the bucket; and

the second end part of the tilt cylinder is positioned on the opposite side of the bucket relative to a horizontal plane passing through the tilt axis when viewing the tilt cylinder from the axial direction.

11. A method for obtaining a tilt angle comprising:

detecting a stroke length of a tilt cylinder configured to cause a bucket to rotate about a tilt axis; and

obtaining a tilt angle of the bucket on the basis of the stroke length,

the obtaining the tilt angle step includes

calculating an angle formed by a first line segment and a second line segment when viewing the tilt cylinder from an axial direction of the tilt axis, the first line segment linking a first end part and the tilt axis of the tilt cylinder, the second line segment linking a second end part and the tilt axis of the tilt cylinder, and

calculating the tilt angle using the formed angle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: FUJII, YUTO; IWAMURA, TSUTOMU; SEKI, MASANOBU
To: KOMATSU LTD.
Reel/Frame 038780/0133 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170107688A1 · Apr 20, 2017