US 11,946,231 B2
Method of controlling turf grading equipment
Eric L. Merkt, Athens, AL (US)
Assigned to G2 Turftools, Inc., Athens, AL (US)
Filed by G2 Turftools, Inc., Athens, AL (US)
Filed on May 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/328,163.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/034,167, filed on Jun. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0381204 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. E02F 9/26 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 9/265 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for controlling turf grading equipment comprising:
a turf grading device wherein said turf grading device is moved longitudinally over an area and said turf grading device comprises a left side and a right side with each side being able to independently move vertically and said left side and said right side move in concert provide a motion of pitch and yaw;
a control system for said turf grading device wherein said control system controls movement of said left side and said right side independently wherein said control system comprises:
a controller interface capable of selecting between a manual override mode and a module selection mode wherein said module selection mode selects from a grade adjust laser mode, a grade adjust autograde mode, a grade adjust autodepth mode and a grade adjust slope mode; wherein said grade adjust laser mode comprises a laser transmitter in a fixed location relative to said area wherein said laser transmitter transmits a laser beam over said area;
at least one laser sensor on said turf grading device wherein said laser sensor moves in concert with said left side or said right side;
a grade adjust laser mode controller capable of determining a location of said laser sensor relative to said laser beam and relaying a laser instruction to a laser control logic module wherein said laser control module actuates a transport cylinder to move said right side or said left side vertically;
wherein said grade adjust autograde mode comprises at least one radar proximity sensor, and wherein said radar proximity sensor moves in concert with said left side or said right side and detects a height above said area;
an autograde controller receives said height and relays a height signal to a proximity control logic module wherein said proximity control logic module actuates said transport cylinder to move said right side or said left side vertically;
wherein said grade adjust autodepth mode comprises at least one transport cylinder sensor wherein said transport cylinder sensor determines the extent of extension of said transport cylinder and relays said extension to a transport cylinder controller wherein said transport cylinder controller relays said extension to a cylinder control logic module which actuates said transport cylinder to move said right side or said left side vertically; and
wherein said grade adjust slope mode comprises a slope sensor which determines an angle of said turf grading device relative to a lateral direction and relays said angle to a slope controller wherein said slope controller relays said slope to a slope control logic module wherein said slop control logic module actuates said transport cylinder to move said right side or said left side vertically to adjust said yaw of said turf grading device.