US 11,939,741 B2
Apparatus and method for controlling an attachment coupler for a work vehicle
Alex R. Vandegrift, Dubuque, IA (US); John R. Mahrenholz, Dubuque, IA (US); Todd F. Velde, Dubuque, IA (US); Benjamin Morrison, Dubuque, IA (US); Bryan Rausch, Durango, IA (US); Megan E. Marotz, Dubuque, IA (US); and Christopher J. Meyer, Dubuque, IA (US)
Assigned to Deere & Company, Moline, IL (US)
Filed by DEERE & COMPANY, Moline, IL (US)
Filed on Oct. 28, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/665,752.
Prior Publication US 2021/0123207 A1, Apr. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. E02F 3/84 (2006.01); E02F 3/34 (2006.01); E02F 3/43 (2006.01); E02F 3/76 (2006.01); E02F 3/96 (2006.01); E02F 9/20 (2006.01); E02F 9/22 (2006.01); E02F 9/26 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 3/431 (2013.01) [E02F 3/3414 (2013.01); E02F 3/434 (2013.01); E02F 3/7622 (2013.01); E02F 3/844 (2013.01); E02F 3/96 (2013.01); E02F 9/2004 (2013.01); E02F 9/2041 (2013.01); E02F 9/2271 (2013.01); E02F 9/264 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A work vehicle comprising:
a frame;
at least one ground engaging device coupled to the frame and configured to support the frame above a surface;
a boom assembly coupled to the frame, the boom assembly configured to move from a frame contact position to a raised position;
at least one boom actuator coupled to the boom assembly and configured to move the boom assembly;
an attachment coupler coupled to the boom assembly, the attachment coupler configured to move from a lower position to an upper position;
at least one attachment coupler actuator coupled to the attachment coupler and configured to move the attachment coupler;
an attachment coupled to the attachment coupler;
an attachment actuator coupled to the attachment and configured to rotate the attachment relative to the attachment coupler;
a boom sensor configured to generate a boom signal indicative of a position of the boom assembly;
an attachment coupler sensor configured to generate an attachment signal indicative of a position of the attachment coupler;
an operator input device configured for receiving an operator input in at least one of a first mode and a second mode;
an electronic data processor communicatively coupled to the boom actuator, the attachment coupler actuator, the attachment actuator, the boom sensor, the attachment coupler sensor, and the operator input device, the electronic data processor configured to receive the boom signal, the attachment signal, and the operator input; and
a computer readable storage medium comprising machine readable instructions;
wherein the operator input in the first mode comprises at least one of a tilt forward command, a tilt rearward command, a rotate right command, or a rotate left command, and the operator input in the second mode comprises at least one of a boom lower command, a boom raise command, the tilt forward command, or the tilt rearward command, and the machine readable instructions, when executed by the electronic data processor, cause the electronic data processor to:
receive the operator input and, in the first mode, for the tilt forward command, command the boom actuator to move the boom assembly to the frame contact position and then command the attachment coupler actuator to move the attachment coupler to a predetermined lower position while preventing the attachment coupler from moving to the lower position, for the tilt rearward command, command the attachment coupler actuator to move the attachment coupler to a predetermined upper position while preventing the attachment coupler from moving to the upper position and then command the boom actuator to move the boom assembly to the raised position, for the rotate right command, command the attachment actuator to rotate the attachment coupler towards the right, for the rotate left command, command the attachment actuator to rotate the attachment coupler towards the left and, in the second mode, for the boom lower command, command the boom actuator to move the boom assembly lower, for the boom raise command, command the boom actuator to move the boom assembly higher, for the tilt forward command, command the attachment coupler actuator to tilt the attachment coupler forward, and for the tilt rearward command, command the attachment coupler actuator to tilt the attachment coupler rearward.