Excavator bucket control
A work machine includes a main frame and a work implement, which includes a first end movably coupled to the main frame and a second end distal to the main frame. A joint assembly is coupled to the work implement's second end and a working tool is associated with the joint assembly. The joint assembly actuates the working tool between first and second working tool positions along an operating trajectory. The joint assembly includes a curl joint, a tilt joint; and a swivel structure. A work machine includes one or more processors to determine the first position of the working tool, to determine an active operating trajectory, to calculate a curl velocity and a tilt velocity such that the two velocities combine to move the working tool along the active operating trajectory, and to control the joint assembly to move the working tool according to the calculated velocities.
1 . A work machine comprising:
a main frame;
a work implement including a first end movably coupled to the main frame and a second end distal with respect to the main frame;
a joint assembly coupled to the second end of the work implement;
a working tool including a cutting edge, the working tool associated with the joint assembly, the joint assembly configured to actuate the working tool such that the working tool is operable to move between a first working tool position and a second working tool position, wherein, the joint assembly comprises:
a curl joint configured to enable the working tool to pivot about a curl axis;
a tilt joint configured to enable the working tool to pivot about a tilt axis;
a swivel structure configured to enable the working tool to rotate about a swivel axis; and
one or more processors configured to:
determine the first position of the cutting edge relative to at least one of the main frame or the work implement;
determine an active operating trajectory to move the working tool between the first working tool position and the second working tool position, the active operating trajectory based on a vector normal to the first position of the cutting edge;
calculate a curl velocity of the working tool pivoting about the curl axis and calculate a tilt velocity of the working tool pivoting around the tilt axis such that the two velocities combine to move the working tool along the active operating trajectory; and
control the joint assembly to move the working tool according to the calculated curl and tilt velocities.
2 . The machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more sensors associated with the working tool and the joint assembly, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to determine at least a curl position, a tilt position, a swivel position, or any combination thereof of the working tool.
3 . The machine of claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine an instantaneous cutting edge position using the curl position, the tilt position, the swivel position, or any combination thereof.
4 . The machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor associated with the working tool and configured to determine one or more of a pitch, roll, or yaw of the working tool.
5 . The machine of claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine an instantaneous cutting edge position using one or more of the pitch, the roll, or the yaw of the working tool.
6 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a control input to move the working tool between the first working tool position and the second working tool position.
7 . The machine of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
control the joint assembly to move the working tool according to the calculated curl and tilt velocities in response to the control input.
8 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein calculating the velocity of the joint assembly further comprises:
calculating a ratio of the curl and tilt velocities to determine a joint assembly velocity.
9 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the first working tool position and the second working tool position includes a respective curl component, a respective tilt component, and a respective swivel component.
10 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the joint assembly is configured to connect the work implement to the curl joint and the working tool to the swivel structure.
11 . A computer-implemented method of controlling a working tool of a work machine, the method comprising:
determining a first cutting edge position of a cutting edge of the working tool relative to at least one of a main frame or a work implement coupled to the main frame, the working tool further coupled to the work implement by a joint assembly;
determining an active operating trajectory of the working tool based on a vector normal to the first position of the cutting edge, wherein the active operating trajectory of the working tool moves the working tool along a desired path between a first working tool position and a second working tool position;
calculating a joint assembly velocity, the joint assembly velocity including a curl component and a tilt component, the joint assembly velocity configured to move the working tool based on the active operating trajectory; and
controlling the joint assembly to move the working tool from the first working tool position to the second working tool position according to the calculated joint assembly velocity.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the working tool position further comprises:
determining the working tool position using a curl position, a tilt position, a swivel position, or any combination thereof of the working tool determined by one or more sensors associated with the working tool and the joint assembly.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the working tool position further comprises:
determining the working tool position using one or more of a pitch, a roll, or a yaw of the working tool determined by one or more sensors associated with the working tool.
14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving a control input to move the working tool between the first working tool position and the second working tool position.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
controlling the joint assembly to move the working tool according to the calculated joint assembly velocity in response to the control input.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the control input includes a speed at which to move the working tool.
17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
moving the working tool from an initial working tool position to the first working tool position before moving the working tool from the first working tool position to the second working tool position along the active operating trajectory.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein calculating the joint assembly velocity further comprises:
calculating a ratio of the curl component and the tilt components of the joint assembly velocity.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
each of the first working tool position and the second working tool position includes a curl component, a tilt component, and a swivel component.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the joint assembly comprises a curl joint to enable the working tool to pivot about a curl axis, a tilt joint to enable the working tool to pivot about a tilt axis, and a swivel structure to enable the working tool to rotate about a swivel axis.