IP Library Granted Patent US 10,337,165
Granted Patent B2
US 10,337,165 · App. 15/487,165 · Granted Jul 2, 2019

Automatic tilt control

Inventors: Anab Akanda (Ann Arbor, MI); James Myron Maki (Kenosha, WI)
Assignee: Joy Global Surface Mining Inc
E02F3/439E02F3/308E02F3/40E02F9/2271E02F9/265E21C27/30E21C41/00E02F9/2016
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,337,165
App. No.
15/487,165
Granted
Jul 2, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An industrial machine and methods for providing automatic tilt control for the same. One method includes determining a current tooth vector of a tooth included on a bucket of the industrial machine and a current path vector of the tooth and determining a current digging angle between the current tooth vector and the current path vector. The method also includes determining a delta angle based on the current digging angle and a target angle and automatically adjusting a tilt of the bucket based on the delta angle.

Claims (44)

1. A method of providing tilt control for a mining machine including a bucket, the method comprising:

determining, with an electronic processor, a current tooth vector of a tooth included on the bucket and a current path vector of the tooth;

determining, with the electronic processor, a current digging angle between the current tooth vector and the current path vector;

determining, with the electronic processor, a delta angle based on the current digging angle and a target angle; and

automatically adjusting a tilt of the bucket based on the delta angle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing the target angle from a system configuration parameter file.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether an override condition exists and suspending automatic adjustment of the tilt of the bucket in response to the override condition existing.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining whether the override condition exists includes determining whether an operator is manually controlling the tilt of the bucket.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining whether the override condition exists includes receiving a pressure of a pivot actuator detected by a pressure sensor and comparing the pressure to a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining whether the override condition exists includes determining whether an operator is command movement of the bucket.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining whether the override condition exists includes determining whether at least one selected from a group consisting of an angle of the current tooth vector and an angle of the current path vector is outside of a digging zone.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current tooth vector includes determining the current tooth vector based on a position of the tooth and a position of a lip included on the bucket.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current path vector includes determining the current path vector based on a position of the tooth and a historical position of the tooth.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a tooth magnitude and a tooth angle based on the current tooth vector and determining a path magnitude and a path angle based on the current path vector.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the current digging angle between the current tooth vector and the current path vector includes determining the current digging angle based on the tooth magnitude, the tooth angle, the path magnitude, and the path angle.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the delta angle based on the current digging angle and a target angle includes determining the delta angle by subtracting the target angle from the current digging angle.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

determining a maximum tooth vector of the tooth and a minimum tooth vector of the tooth;

determining a maximum digging angle based on the maximum tooth vector;

determining a minimum digging angle based on the minimum tooth vector; and

adjusting the target angle in response to the target angle being greater than the maximum digging angle or less than the minimum digging angle.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically adjusting the tilt of the bucket based on the delta angle includes providing the delta angle to a feedback control loop, the feedback control loop automatically adjusting the tilt of the bucket via a pivot actuator.

15. An industrial machine comprising:

a bucket having a tooth; and

a controller configured to

determine a current tooth vector of the tooth and a current path vector of the tooth,

determine a maximum angle of the tooth and a minimum angle of the tooth,

access a target angle,

adjust the target angle in response to the target angle being greater than the maximum angle of the tooth or less than the minimum angle of the tooth,

determine a current digging angle between the current tooth vector and the current path vector,

determine a delta angle based on the current digging angle and the target angle, and

automatically adjust a tilt of the bucket based on the delta angle via a pivot actuator.

16. The industrial machine of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically adjust the tilt of the bucket based on the delta angle by providing the delta angle to a feedback control loop.

17. The industrial machine of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether an override condition exists and suspend automatic adjustment of the tilt of the bucket in response to the override condition existing.

18. Non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by an electronic processor, perform a set of functions, the set of functions comprising:

determining a current tooth vector of a tooth included on a bucket of an industrial machine and a current path vector of the tooth;

determining a maximum angle of the tooth and a minimum angle of the tooth;

accessing a target angle;

adjusting the target angle in response to the target angle being greater than the maximum angle of the tooth or less than the minimum angle of the tooth;

determining a current digging angle between the current tooth vector and the current path vector;

determining a delta angle based on the current digging angle and the target angle; and

automatically adjusting a tilt of the bucket using a feedback control loop based on the delta angle via a pivot actuator.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein determining the current tooth vector of the tooth includes determining the current tooth vector based on a position of the tooth and a position of a lip included on the bucket.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein determining the current path vector of the tooth includes determining the current path vector based on a position of the tooth and a historical position of the tooth.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Sep 19, 2018
From: HARNISCHFEGER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JOY GLOBAL SURFACE MINING INC
Reel/Frame 047111/0786 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2017
From: AKANDA, ANAB; MAKI, JAMES MYRON
To: HARNISCHFEGER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 042004/0094 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62323093 · Apr 15, 2016
Related Publication 20170298592A1 · Oct 19, 2017