Motor grader 3D grade control

US10550543B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies LLC · US

Inventors

• Nathan Ennis · Washington, US
• Patrick Pecchio · Peoria, US
• Geoffrey Mills · Nelson, NZ
• Christopher A. Padilla · Chillicothe, US
• Yongliang Zhu · Dunlap, US
• Jason Hill · Superior, US
• Colin Daniell · Christchurch, NZ

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 8, 2019
• Grant date: Feb 4, 2020
• Expiry date: Jan 8, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B19/402
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing grade control on a motor grader without the use of masts attached to the blade. Embodiments include a body angle sensor configured to detect movement of a construction machine's body, a front GNSS receiver configured to detect a geospatial position of the construction machine's body within a world space, a drawbar angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's drawbar, and a blade angle sensor configured to detect movement of the construction machine's blade. Two positions on the blade may be calculated first within a machine space and subsequently within the world space. Movement of at least one articulating connection may be caused based on the blade positions within the world space.