Automatic control of a joystick for dozer blade control

摘要

Dozers outfitted with manual or electric valves can be retrofitted with a control system for automatically controlling the elevation and orientation of the blade. No modification of the existing hydraulic drive system or existing hydraulic control system is needed. An arm is operably coupled to the existing joystick, whose translation controls the elevation and orientation of the blade. The arm is driven by an electrical motor assembly. Measurement units mounted on the dozer body or blade provide measurements corresponding to the elevation or orientation of the blade. A computational system receives the measurements, compares them to target reference values, and generates control signals. Drivers convert the control signals to electrical drive signals. In response to the electrical drive signals, the electrical motor assembly translates the arm, which, in turn, translates the joystick. If necessary, an operator can override the automatic control system by manually operating the joystick.

主权项

1. A system for controlling a joystick, wherein at least one translation of the joystick controls at least one degree of freedom of an implement operably coupled to a vehicle body, the system comprising:
an arm operably coupled to the joystick; an electrical motor assembly operably coupled to the arm; at least one measurement unit mounted on at least one of the vehicle body or the implement, wherein the at least one measurement unit is configured to generate at least one plurality of measurements corresponding to the at least one degree of freedom; a computational system configured to:
receive the at least one plurality of measurements;calculate at least one error signal based at least in part on the at least one plurality of measurements, at least one reference value of the at least one degree of freedom, and a control algorithm; andcalculate at least one control signal based at least in part on the at least one error signal; and at least one driver configured to:
receive the at least one control signal; andbased at least in part on the at least one control signal, generate at least one electrical drive signal; wherein the electrical motor assembly is configured to, in response to receiving the at least one electrical drive signal, automatically control the arm to translate along at least one automatically-controlled arm trajectory and automatically control the joystick to translate along at least one automatically-controlled joystick trajectory corresponding to the at least one automatically-controlled arm trajectory.