Apparatus and method for an excavator

Abstract

An excavator comprises a frame, a boom assembly and a control architecture. The control architecture may include a first actuator, a second actuator, a third actuator, a user input interface, a storage medium having a control algorithm, and a controller configured to execute the control algorithm to: receive a target grade request from one or more of the user input interface and a storage medium; receive a dipper stick position relative to the pivot axis; receive a direction of movement of the dipper stick; determine whether the dipper stick position is outside the pivot axis or inside the pivot axis; and operate the first actuator in automatic mode to automatically adjust the pivot axis height relative to the frame when the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick are within the automatic control region for automatically maintaining a target grade.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An excavator comprising:
 a frame;   a ground-engaging mechanism coupled to the frame and configured to support the frame on a surface;   a boom pivotally coupled to the frame;   a first actuator interconnecting the boom and the frame and operable to move the boom relative to the frame;   a dipper stick pivotally coupled to the boom for rotational movement about a pivot axis;   a second actuator interconnecting the dipper stick and the boom and operable to move the dipper stick about the pivot axis relative to the boom;   an implement pivotally coupled to the dipper stick;   a third actuator interconnecting the implement and the dipper stick and operable to move the implement relative to the dipper stick;   at least one sensor operable to sense one or more of a dipper stick position and a direction of movement of one or more of the boom, the dipper stick, or the implement; and   a control architecture including: a user input interface, a storage medium having a control algorithm stored therein, and a controller configured to execute the control algorithm to:
 receive a target grade request from one or more of the user input interface and the storage medium; 
 receive a dipper stick position relative to the pivot axis from the at least one sensor, wherein the dipper stick position is one of inside the pivot axis or outside the pivot axis; 
 receive the direction of movement of the dipper stick relative to the pivot axis from the at least one sensor, wherein the direction of movement of the dipper stick is one of arming away from the pivot axis or arming toward of the pivot axis; and 
 operating the first actuator in an automatic mode to automatically adjust a height of the pivot axis relative to the frame when the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick are within an automatic control region for automatically maintaining a target grade. 
   
     
     
         2 . The excavator of  claim 1 , wherein operating the first actuator in an automatic mode comprises:
 moving the boom upwards when i) the dipper stick is outside the pivot axis and ii) the dipper stick is arming in;   moving the boom upwards when i) the dipper stick is inside the pivot axis and ii) the dipper stick is arming away;   moving the boom downwards when i) the dipper stick is outside the pivot axis and ii) the dipper stick is arming away; and   moving the boom downwards when i) the dipper stick is inside the pivot axis and ii) the dipper stick is arming in.   
     
     
         3 . The excavator of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate the automatic mode of the first actuator when the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick are outside the automatic control region. 
     
     
         4 . The excavator of  claim 2 , wherein the control architecture is further configured to execute instructions to:
 activate the third actuator in the automatic mode to automatically curl or dump the implement to adjust an angle a cutting edge of the implement engages the surface when the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick are within the automatic control region, the automatic mode maintaining the target grade.   
     
     
         5 . The excavator of  claim 4 , wherein operating the third actuator in the automatic mode comprises:
 dumping the implement when the dipper stick is arming in; and   curling the implement when dipper stick is arming away.   
     
     
         6 . The excavator of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate the automatic mode of the third actuator when the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick are outside the automatic control region. 
     
     
         7 . The excavator of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining the target grade is sourced from feedback from one or more of a global positioning system and a positioning of the dipper stick relative to the frame. 
     
     
         8 . The excavator of  claim 2 , wherein arming in of the dipper stick comprises extension of the second actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The excavator of  claim 2 , wherein arming away of the dipper stick comprises retraction the second actuator. 
     
     
         10 . The excavator of  claim 1 , wherein the user input interface comprises:
 a first joystick and a second joystick,
 the first joystick arming away the dipper stick when moved forward and arming in the dipper stick when moved backward, and 
 the second joystick curling the implement when moving the joystick to the left and dumping the implement when moving the joystick to the right. 
   
     
     
         11 . A method for controlling an excavator, the method comprising:
 enabling an automatic mode based on user input with a switch from a user input interface;   receiving a target grade request from one or more of the user input interface and a storage medium;   receiving a dipper stick position relative to a pivot axis from at least one sensor, wherein the dipper stick position is one or more of inside the pivot axis and outside the pivot axis;   receiving a direction of movement of a dipper stick relative to the pivot axis from the at least one sensor, wherein the direction of movement of the dipper stick one of arming away from the pivot axis or arming toward the pivot axis; and   activating the first actuator in the automatic mode to automatically adjust a height of the pivot axis relative to a frame based on the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick automatically maintaining a target grade.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein operating the first actuator in the automatic mode comprises:
 moving a boom upwards when i) the dipper stick is outside the pivot axis and ii) the dipper stick is arming in;   moving the boom upwards when i) the dipper stick is inside the pivot axis and ii) the dipper stick arming away;   moving the boom downwards when i) the dipper stick is outside the pivot axis and ii) the dipper stick is arming away; and   moving the boom downwards when i) the dipper stick is inside the pivot axis and ii) the dipper stick is arming in.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 deactivating the automatic mode of a first actuator when the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick are outside an automatic control region.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 activating the third actuator in the automatic mode to automatically curl or dump the implement to adjust the angle a cutting edge of the implement engages the surface, when the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick are within an automatic control region, the automatic mode maintaining a target grade. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein operating the third actuator in the automatic mode comprises:
 dumping the implement when the dipper stick is arming in; and   curling the implement when the dipper stick is arming away.   
     
     
         16 . The excavator of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate the automatic mode of the third actuator when the dipper stick position and the direction of movement of the dipper stick are outside the automatic control region. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein maintaining a target grade is sourced from one or more of a global positioning system and the dipper stick position relative to the frame. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  12 , wherein arming in of the dipper stick comprises extension of the second actuator. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein arming away of the dipper stick comprises retraction of the second actuator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user input interface comprises:
 a first joystick and a second joystick,   the first joystick arming away the dipper stick when moved forward and arming in the dipper stick when moved backward, and   the second joystick curling an implement when moving the joystick to the left and dumping the implement when moving the joystick to the right.