Work vehicle material management using moldboard gates

A work vehicle comprising a material management system using moldboard gates. A sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a ground feature and a location of the ground feature. A moldboard is coupled to the work vehicle and is configured to move a ground material. A gate is coupled to the moldboard and a gate actuator is coupled to the gate. The gate actuator is configured to move the gate to an open position, a closed position, or to a position in between. A controller which is in communication with the sensor is configured to receive the signal indicative of the ground feature and the location and control the gate actuator to move the gate based on the ground feature and the location.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to work vehicles, such as motor graders, and more particularly to a moldboard gate for a work vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Work vehicles such as motor graders are generally used to control the grade of a surface. Motor graders are sometimes used for snow removal. Motor graders may have a main blade, sometimes referred to as a moldboard.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one embodiment, a work vehicle is disclosed. The work vehicle comprises a sensor configured for generating a signal indicative of a ground feature and a location of the ground feature. A moldboard is coupled to the work vehicle and is configured to move a ground material. A gate is coupled to the moldboard and a gate actuator is coupled to the gate. The gate actuator is configured to move the gate to an open position, a closed position, or to a position in between. A controller is in communication with the sensor and is configured to receive the signal indicative of the ground feature and the location. The controller controls the gate actuator to move the gate to one of the open position, the closed position, or the position in between based on the ground feature and the location.

In another embodiment, a motor grader is disclosed. The motor grader comprises a frame. A drawbar assembly is coupled to the frame. A circle drive assembly is coupled to the drawbar assembly. A ground engaging device is configured to support the frame above a ground. A sensor is configured for generating a signal indicative of a ground feature and a location of the ground feature. A moldboard is coupled to the circle drive assembly and configured to move a ground material. A gate is further coupled to the moldboard. A gate actuator is coupled to the gate and is configured to move the gate to an open position, a closed position, or to a position in between. A controller is in communication with the sensor and is configured to receive the signal indicative of the ground feature and the location. The controller controls the gate actuator to move the gate to the open position, the closed position, or the position in between based on the ground feature and the location.

In yet another embodiment, a work vehicle is disclosed. The work vehicle comprises a frame. A drawbar assembly is coupled to the frame. A circle drive assembly is coupled to the drawbar assembly. A ground engaging device is configured to support the frame above a ground. A sensor is configured for generating a signal indicative of a ground feature and a location of the ground feature. A global positioning system is configured to provide a work vehicle location. A moldboard is coupled to the circle drive assembly and configured to move a ground material. A gate is further coupled to the moldboard. A gate actuator is coupled to the gate and configured to move the gate to an open position, a closed position, or to a position in between. An operator interface is configured to receive an operator input indicative of a desired ground feature, a desired location from the work vehicle location, and a desired gate position. A first actuator is coupled to the drawbar assembly and the frame and configured to raise and lower the moldboard. A second actuator is coupled to the circle drive assembly and configured to rotate the moldboard. A controller is in communication with the sensor, the global positioning system, and the operator interface. The controller is configured to receive the signal indicative of the ground feature and the location. The controller compares the work vehicle location to the location and controls the gate actuator, the first actuator, and the second actuator to move the gate to the desired position when the ground feature and the location comparison match the desired ground feature and the desired location from the work vehicle location.

Other features and aspects will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Further embodiments of the invention may include any combination of features from one or more dependent claims, and such features may be incorporated, collectively or separately, into any independent claim.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1illustrates a work vehicle10having a frame15that includes a front frame20and a rear frame25. The work vehicle10is illustrated as a motor grader30. Other types of work vehicles10are contemplated by this disclosure including skid steers, compact track loaders, and crawlers or bulldozers, for example. At least one ground engaging device35is coupled to the front frame20and the rear frame25and configured to support the front frame20and the rear frame25above the ground40and to move the work vehicle10along the ground40in any direction including a forward direction45. The illustrated ground engaging device35is a plurality of wheels50. Alternatively, the ground engaging device35may be tracks (not shown). The plurality of wheels50include front wheels55for supporting the front frame20and left and right tandem sets of rear wheels60for supporting the rear frame25.

An operator station65is coupled to the frame15. A power plant70(e.g., a diesel engine) is also coupled to the frame15to power a drive train and one or more hydraulic pumps75, which pressurize hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic circuit to move hydraulic actuators.

With reference toFIG.2, a sensor80is coupled to the work vehicle10. The sensor80is configured for generating a signal85(FIG.7) indicative of a ground feature90and a location91of the ground feature90on the ground40. The sensor80may be radar, lidar, a camera, or other sensor. The ground feature90may be an alternate path, a high portion of the path such as a bump or hill, a low portion of the path such as a pothole, ground material92(e.g., dirt, rock, sand, snow) or other feature on the ground40. For example, the work vehicle10may move the ground material92along a first path95and the ground feature90may be a second path100that is connected to the first path95. The first path95may be a road and the second path100may be another road or a driveway for example. An operator may be moving snow and may not want to block the second path100or road with snow while moving snow on the first path95or road.

Referring toFIG.1, a drawbar assembly105or draft frame is coupled to the frame15. A drawbar110of the drawbar assembly105is mounted to a front location115of the front frame20, having a forward end120coupled to the front frame20by a ball and socket arrangement125and having opposite left and right rear regions130suspended from an elevated central section135of the front frame20. Left and right first actuators140support the left and right rear regions130of the drawbar110. The left and right first actuators140either raise or lower the drawbar110. A side shift linkage arrangement145is coupled between the elevated central section135of the front frame20and a rear location150of the drawbar110and includes a side swing hydraulic actuator155.

A circle drive assembly160is coupled to the drawbar assembly105. The circle drive assembly160can include a rotatable circle member165coupled to the draft frame or drawbar assembly105. The circle drive assembly160can be rotatable about a rotation axis170in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

With reference toFIG.2, a moldboard or blade175is coupled to the circle drive assembly160(FIG.1) of the work vehicle10and configured to move the ground material92on the ground40. The ground material92may be snow, rock, sand, aggregate, or other material. While a moldboard175is described herein, other types of implements are contemplated by this disclosure.

Referring toFIG.3, a second actuator180may be coupled to the moldboard175or the circle drive assembly160. The second actuator180is configured to rotate the moldboard175.

With reference toFIGS.3-5, at least one gate185is coupled to the moldboard175and configured to move from an open position190to a closed position195. In one embodiment, the gate185has three walls. A first wall200is rotatably coupled to the moldboard175and is positioned substantially vertical relative to the ground40in the open position190and substantially horizontal relative to the ground40in the closed position195. The first wall200forms a top205of the gate185in the closed position195.

A second wall210is coupled to the first wall200. The second wall210forms a side215of the gate185in the closed position195. The second wall210includes a wear plate220that may contact the ground40in the closed position195. The wear plate220may be adjusted up or down in a substantially vertical position by way of an adjustment device225coupled to the wear plate220and the second wall210. The adjustment device225that is shown in this embodiment is a plurality of slots230and fasteners235. The second wall210may be angled slightly inward, toward the work vehicle10, when the gate185is in the closed position195.

A third wall240is coupled to the second wall210. The third wall240may be angled slightly inward such that in the closed position195, the third wall240may contact the moldboard175. A protrusion245may be coupled to the third wall240that contacts the moldboard175in the closed position195. The protrusion245may assist with properly aligning the gate185with the moldboard175in the closed position195.

It is contemplated that a fourth wall or reinforcement member (not shown) may be coupled to the first wall200and the second wall210. The gate185may be shaped rectangularly, spherical, or another shape.

A gate actuator250may be coupled to the gate185. In one embodiment, the gate actuator250is a hydraulic cylinder and one end of the actuator is connected to the gate185and another end is connected to the moldboard175. Alternatively, the gate actuator250may be a pneumatic cylinder or an electronic actuator252. The gate actuator250is configured to move the gate185to the open position190(FIG.4), the closed position195(FIG.6), or to a position in between255(FIG.5). When the gate actuator250is substantially fully extended, the gate185will be moved to the closed position195. When the gate actuator250is substantially fully retracted, the gate185will be moved to the open position190. When the gate actuator250is partially extended, the gate185will be positioned such that it will be placed in between the open and closed positions190,195.

Referring toFIG.7, a global positioning system (“GPS”)260may be coupled to the operator station65or frame15of the work vehicle10. The GPS260may be configured to provide a work vehicle location265. The work vehicle location265may be associated with stored position data such as maps, geo-coordinate markers, and so on, to reconcile the real-time work vehicle location265in three-dimensional space with known objects and grade locations of preset locations of a work site.

An operator interface270may be coupled to the work vehicle10and positioned in the operator station65. The operator interface270may be configured to receive an operator input275indicative of a desired ground feature280, a desired location285, and a desired gate position290for automatic control of the gate185. The operator input275may also include a desired moldboard height292. Alternatively, the operator interface270may be configured to receive manual operator input275for manual operation of the gate185.

As used herein, a “controller”295is intended to be used consistent with how the term is used by a person of skill in the art, and refers to a computing component with processing, memory, and communication capabilities which is utilized to control or communicate with one or more other components. In one embodiment the controller295is a standalone controller295dedicated to control the gate actuator250and in some embodiments the moldboard175, but in alternate embodiments the controller295may be a vehicle control unit (“VCU”) which controls multiple functions of the work vehicle10in addition to the gate actuator250and the moldboard175.

The controller295may be configured to receive the signal85from the sensor80and the operator input275from the operator interface270and automatically control the gate actuator250to move the gate185to the desired gate position290when the ground feature90and the location91matches the desired ground feature280and the desired location285. For example, an operator could set the desired gate position290to the closed position195and the desired ground feature280to the second path100and then the controller will control closing the gate185when the work vehicle10is at or by the second path100and control opening the gate185after the work vehicle10passes the second path100to prevent ground material92from windrowing or building up and blocking the second path100while the work vehicle is traversing the first path95. Alternatively, the operator could manually control the gate185with the operator interface270by providing operator input275to the controller295. The controller295is configured to control moving the gate185to one of the open position190, the closed position195, or the position in between255and to control the height of the moldboard175.

In another example, the controller295may control the gate actuator250to move the gate185to the closed position195when the ground feature90is the low portion to deposit the ground material92onto the low portion, for example to fill a pothole on a road. In yet another example, the controller295may control the gate actuator250to move the gate185to the open position190when the ground feature90is the high portion to deposit the ground material92adjacent the high portion, for example to create a windrow of the ground material92by removing ground material92from the high portion.