Leveling system for a construction machine

Abstract

Leveling system for a construction machine, in particular a road construction machine or a road finishing machine comprising: a layer thickness measurement system, configured to measure a current layer thickness and determine respective actual layer thickness values for a plurality of positions, a processor configured to determine, based on a layer thickness profile including a plurality of set layer thickness values allocated to a plurality of the positions, as well as the actual layer thickness values for the positions, control values per position for height regulation of a tool of the construction machine.

1 . Levelling system for a construction machine, in particular a road construction machine or a road finishing machine or a road milling machine, comprising:
 a layer thickness measurement system configured to measure a layer thickness currently to be applied or to be removed and respective actual layer thickness values for a plurality of positions or respective predicted actual layer thickness values for a plurality of positions,   a processor configured to determine, based on a layer thickness profile comprising a plurality of set layer thickness values allocated to the plurality of the positions, as well as the actual layer thickness values or predicted actual layer thickness values for the positions, control values per position for height regulation of a tool of the construction machine.   
     
     
         2 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control values per position are selected such that the tool is raised and/or lowered according to the layer thickness profile, in order to be moved per position at a position according to the set layer thickness values; and/or
 wherein the control values per position are selected such that a determined deviation between an actual layer thickness value or predicted actual layer thickness value and a set layer thickness value is considered.   
     
     
         3 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the control value for the further position by considering the set layer thickness of the further position; and/or
 wherein the further position is offset by an offset with respect to the respective position.   
     
     
         4 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control values per position are selected such that in the settled state, the actual layer thickness value or the predicted actual layer thickness value per position essentially (±20%, ±10%, ±5%, ±3%, ±1 %) corresponds to the set layer thickness value per position; and/or
 wherein the control values are derived such that the height regulation of the tool is performed by considering the regulation path (offset) of the tool along a direction of travel of the construction machine. 
 
     
     
         5 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to derive the control values from the layer thickness profile such that a layer to be smoothed or to be applied by the tool forms an even surface on an underground profile along a direction of travel of the construction machine; and/or
 wherein a layer to be applied or a layer to be smoothed comprises a first dimension along the direction of travel and a second dimension transversal to the direction of travel and wherein a plane is spanned by the first dimension and the second dimension and wherein the control values are derived from the layer thickness profile such that a layer to be applied (to be placed) or a layer to be smoothed by the tool comprises an even surface on an underground profile along the spanned plane.   
     
     
         6 . Leveling system according to  claim 1  comprising a position sensor or GNSS sensor, in particular a position sensor or GNSS sensor coupled to the tool or coupled to the construction machine and wherein the position sensor or GNSS sensor is configured to determine the position for the actual layer thickness values or predicted actual layer thickness values, in particular the position along the direction of travel. 
     
     
         7 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer thickness profile comprises varying set layer thickness values across the positions and/or along the direction of travel and/or
 wherein the layer thickness profile is determined in dependence on an underground profile.   
     
     
         8 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the control values such that a minimum layer thickness is provided per position. 
     
     
         9 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises an evenness regulator that is configured to determine the control values by using sensor values, such that an even surface is generated; and/or
 wherein the processor comprises a regulating path comprising a P component, an IT component, a PT component and/or a regulation path with a prediction model.   
     
     
         10 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer thickness measurement system forms, together with the processor, a first control circuit for a first side (left or right) of the tool; and/or wherein the layer thickness measurement system or a further layer thickness measurement system forms, with the processor, a second control circuit for a second side of the tool; or
 wherein the layer thickness measurement system forms, together with the processor, a first control circuit for a first side (left or right) of the tool; and/or wherein the layer thickness measurement system or a further layer thickness measurement system forms, with the processor, a second control circuit for a second side of the tool, wherein the first and second control circuits interact in order to control the tool accordingly for the intermediate positions between the first and second side of the tool, such that the actual layer thickness essentially corresponds to the set layer thickness for intermediate positions in the settled state.   
     
     
         11 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer thickness measurement system comprises at least one sensor in front of the screed and at least one sensor behind the screed and wherein the layer to be determined is determined by forming the difference. 
     
     
         12 . Leveling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the leveling system comprises a sensor arrangement comprising at least two, at least three or at least four sensors arranged at a carrier extending along the direction of travel of the construction machine; or
 wherein the leveling system comprises a sensor arrangement comprising at least two, at least three or at least four sensors that are arranged at a carrier extending along the direction of travel of the construction machine and wherein the sensor arrangement comprises the layer thickness measurement system.   
     
     
         13 . Construction machine, in particular road construction machine or road finishing machine or road milling machine comprising a leveling system according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for determining a layer thickness profile comprising a plurality of layer thickness values allocated to a plurality of positions, comprising:
 an interface for receiving an underground profile comprising a plurality of height values allocated to a plurality of the positions;   an interface for receiving at least one set height or set depth; and   a calculating unit for determining the layer thickness profile based on a difference between the plurality of height values allocated to a plurality of the positions and the at least one set height or set depth or a reference defined by the at least one set height or set depth.   
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14  comprising an output interface for providing/exporting the layer thickness profile to a construction machine, in particular a road construction machine or a road finishing machine. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one set height is defined by several set height values allocated to a plurality of the positions;
 wherein the at least one set depth is defined by several set depth values allocated to a plurality of the positions; or   wherein the at least one set height and/or the several set height values define a plane or 3D plane of a layer to be smoothed or to be produced or generated (placed).   
     
     
         17 . Method for leveling for a construction machine, in particular a road construction machine or a road finishing machine or a road milling machine, comprising:
 measuring a current layer thickness to be applied or to be removed and determining respective actual layer thickness values or predicted actual layer thickness values for a plurality of positions,   determining control values per position for height regulation of a tool of the construction machine based on a layer thickness profile comprising a plurality of set layer thickness values allocated to a plurality of the positions as well as the actual layer thickness values or predicted actual layer thickness values for the positions.   
     
     
         18 . Method for determining a layer thickness profile comprising a plurality of set layer thickness values allocated to a plurality of positions, comprising:
 receiving an underground profile comprising a plurality of height values allocated to a plurality of the positions;   receiving at least one set height or set depth; and   determining the layer thickness profile based on a difference between the plurality of height values allocated to a plurality of the positions and the at least one set height or set depth or a reference defined by the at least one set height or set depth.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method for leveling for a construction machine, in particular a road construction machine or a road finishing machine or a road milling machine, the method comprising:
 measuring a current layer thickness to be applied or to be removed and determining respective actual layer thickness values or predicted actual layer thickness values for a plurality of positions,   determining control values per position for height regulation of a tool of the construction machine based on a layer thickness profile comprising a plurality of set layer thickness values allocated to a plurality of the positions as well as the actual layer thickness values or predicted actual layer thickness values for the positions, 
when said computer program is run by a computer. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method for determining a layer thickness profile comprising a plurality of set layer thickness values allocated to a plurality of positions, the method comprising:
 receiving an underground profile comprising a plurality of height values allocated to a plurality of the positions;   receiving at least one set height or set depth; and   determining the layer thickness profile based on a difference between the plurality of height values allocated to a plurality of the positions and the at least one set height or set depth or a reference defined by the at least one set height or set depth, 
 when said computer program is run by a computer.