Work tool cleaning system and method for work vehicles

Abstract

A system for removing material from a work tool of a work vehicle, the system comprising the work vehicle including the work tool, an operator control coupled with the work vehicle, a first movement actuators movably coupling a first end portion of the work tool, a second movement actuator movable coupling a second end portion of the work tool, with a cleaning sequence comprising the steps of actuating the first movement actuator causing the first end portion of the work tool to move in a first direction, actuating the second movement actuator causing the second end portion of the work tool to move in a second direction, actuating the first movement actuator causing the first end portion of the work tool to move in the second direction, and actuating the second movement actuator causing the second end portion of the work tool to move in the first direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for removing material from a work tool of a work vehicle, the system comprising:
 the work vehicle including the work tool;   an operator control coupled with the work vehicle;   a first movement actuators movably coupling a first end portion of the work tool;   a second movement actuator movable coupling a second end portion of the work tool;   an electronic processor in communication with the operator control and the first movement actuator and the second movement actuator, wherein the electronic processor is configured to
 receive, by the electronic processor, a signal from the operator control; and 
 automatically move the work tool in a cleaning sequence, the cleaning sequence comprising the steps of
 actuating the first movement actuator causing the first end portion of the work tool to move in a first direction, 
 actuating the second movement actuator causing the second end portion of the work tool to move in a second direction, 
 actuating the first movement actuator causing the first end portion of the work tool to move in the second direction, and 
 actuating the second movement actuator causing the second end portion of the work tool to move in the first direction. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first movement actuator and the second movement actuator are configured to move the work tool in a yaw direction. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first movement actuator and the second movement actuator each comprise a hydraulic cylinder, a linear actuator, or an electric solenoid. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction comprises a first yaw direction and the second direction comprises a second yaw direction. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the automatic movement of the work tool occurs for a fixed amount of time per the signal received by the processor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the automatic movement of the work tool only occurs while the signal is being received by the processor. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning sequence distributes the material along the work tool. 
     
     
         8 . A method of removing material from a work tool on a vehicle, the method comprising:
 receiving, by an electronic processor, a signal from an operator control; and   automatically moving the work tool in a cleaning sequence, the cleaning sequence comprising the steps of
 actuating a first movement actuator causing the first end portion of the work tool to move in a first direction, 
 actuating a second movement actuator causing the second end portion of the work tool to move in a second direction, 
 actuating the first movement actuator causing the first end portion of the work tool to move in the second direction, and 
 actuating the second movement actuator causing the second end portion of the work tool to move in the first direction. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first direction comprises a first yaw direction and the second direction comprises a second yaw direction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the automatic movement of the work tool occurs for a fixed amount of time per signal received by the processor. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the automatic movement of the work tool only occurs while the signal is being received by the processor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first movement actuator and the second movement actuator each comprise a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cleaning sequence further comprises distributing the material along the work tool. 
     
     
         14 . A work vehicle that moves material, the work vehicle comprising:
 a work tool coupled with the work vehicle where the work tool is capable of moving the material;   an operator control coupled with the work vehicle;   a first movement actuators movably coupling a first end portion of the work tool with the work vehicle;   a second movement actuator movable coupling a second end portion of the work tool with the work vehicle;   an electronic processor in communication with the operator control and the two or more movement actuators, wherein the electronic processor is configured to
 receive, by the electronic processor, a signal from the operator control; and 
 automatically move the work tool in a cleaning sequence, the cleaning sequence comprising the steps of
 actuating the first movement actuator causing the first end portion of the work tool to move in a first direction, 
 actuating the second movement actuator causing the second end portion of the work tool to move in a second direction, 
 actuating the first movement actuator causing the first end portion of the work tool to move in the second direction, and 
 actuating the second movement actuator causing the second end portion of the work tool to move in the first direction. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The work vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the first movement actuator and the second movement actuator are configured to move the work tool in a yaw direction. 
     
     
         16 . The work vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the first direction comprises a first yaw direction and the second direction comprises a second yaw direction. 
     
     
         17 . The work vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the first movement actuator and the second movement actuator each comprise a hydraulic cylinder, a linear actuator, or an electric solenoid. 
     
     
         18 . The work vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein the cleaning sequence further comprises distributing the material along the work tool.