US 7,491,014 B2
System and method of the automatic compaction of soil
Georg Sick, Feldafing (Germany)
Assigned to Wacker Construction Equipment AG, Munich (Germany)
Appl. No. 10/553,569
PCT Filed Apr. 07, 2004, PCT No. PCT/EP2004/003743
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Jun. 09, 2006,
PCT Pub. No. WO2004/090232, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 21, 2004.
Claims priority of application No. 103 17 160 (DE), filed on Apr. 14, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2007/0025815 A1, Feb. 01, 2007
Int. Cl. E01C 19/35 (2006.01); E02D 3/046 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 404—133.1  [404/83; 404/84.2; 404/133.05; 405/271] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A soil compacting system, comprising:
a mobile, generally hand guided steerable soil compacting device; and
a control device;
the control device including:
a surface definition device allowing a local operator to establish a surface to be compacted by locally defining associated surface boundaries;
a position detection device for detecting the current position of the soil compacting device, at least in the vicinity of the surface boundaries;
a path planning device for setting a predetermination for a travel path, on the basis of the defined surface area and on the compaction needs of the surface, in such a way that the soil compacting device travels over at least substantially the entire surface, a sufficient number of times to achieve complete compaction of the soil in the surface;
a motion controller for changing a direction of travel by predetermining a target value for a traveling movement of the soil compacting device, such that the soil compacting device does not cross the respective surface boundary, but rather continues its travel within the surface, along the predetermined travel path, the motion controller changing the direction of travel by adjusting operation of at least one vibration excitation device.