US 10,865,529 B2Granted

Milling machine control system

AssigneeRoadtec, Inc.

InventorsTodd Avans, James H. Bevill, David Swearingen

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Abstract

A milling machine includes a primary drum drive assembly for its milling drum, and a ground-engaging drive assembly for driving the milling machine along a roadway. A lifting column is attached between the frame and the ground-engaging drive assembly. The lifting column includes a linear actuator which can raise and lower the frame of the machine with respect to the roadway. A sensor mounted to the lifting column is adapted to determine if the lifting column is not supporting at least a predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine. A controller is operatively attached to the drive assemblies and to the sensor, and is adapted to receive from the sensor a signal indicating that the lifting column is not supporting the predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine. Upon receipt of such signal, the controller will automatically control certain machine functions.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A milling machine for milling a roadway surface, said milling machine having a milling machine weight and further comprising:

(a) a frame;
(b) a milling assembly comprising:
(i) a drum housing that is attached to the frame;
(ii) a milling drum that is mounted within the drum housing and adapted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis;
(c) a ground-engaging drive assembly that is operatively attached to a drive control system and is adapted to provide a driving force to drive the milling machine along the roadway surface;
(d) a lifting column that is attached at its upper end to the frame and at its lower end to the ground-engaging drive assembly, said lifting column including:
(i) an outer leg tube which is fixed to the frame and which has a top bracket with an upper surface;
(ii) a linear actuator which can be operated to raise and lower the frame of the machine with respect to the roadway surface;
(e) a load cell sensor that is:
(i) attached to the top bracket of the lifting column in such a manner that it does not rotate or otherwise move with respect to the frame as the lifting column or the ground-engaging drive assembly is operated;
(ii) adapted to determine if the lifting column is not supporting at least a predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(iii) adapted to generate a signal indicating that the lifting column is not supporting at least the predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(f) a controller that is:
(i) operatively attached to the drive control system for the ground-engaging drive assembly;
(ii) adapted to control the operation of the drive control system for the ground-engaging drive assembly;
(iii) operatively attached to the load cell sensor;
(iv) adapted to receive the signal indicating that the lifting column is not supporting at least the predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(v) adapted to cause the drive control system to reduce or stop the driving force provided by the ground-engaging drive assembly when the signal received from the sensor indicates that the lifting column is not supporting at least the predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine.

15 more elements

A milling machine for milling a roadway surface, said milling machine having a milling machine weight and further comprising:

(a) a frame;
(b) a milling assembly comprising:
(i) a drum housing that is attached to the frame;
(ii) a milling drum that is mounted within the milling drum housing and adapted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis;
(iii) a primary drum drive assembly that is operatively attached to the milling drum and adapted to rotate the milling drum;
(c) a ground-engaging drive assembly that is operatively attached to a drive control system and is adapted to provide a driving force to drive the milling machine along the roadway surface;
(d) a lifting column that is attached at its upper end to the frame and at its lower end to the ground-engaging drive assembly, said lifting column having a long axis and including:
(i) a linear actuator which can be operated to raise and lower the frame of the machine with respect to the roadway surface;
(ii) an outer leg tube which is fixed to the frame and which has a top bracket, said top bracket having an upper surface;
(e) a load cell sensor that is adapted to:
(i) attach the upper end of the linear actuator to the outer leg tube;
(ii) determine if the lifting column is not supporting at least a predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(iii) generate a signal indicating that the lifting column is not supporting at least the predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(f) a controller that is:
(i) operatively attached to the drive control system for the ground-engaging drive assembly;
(ii) adapted to control the operation of the drive control system for the ground-engaging drive assembly, including by reducing or stopping the driving force provided by the ground-engaging drive assembly;
(iii) operatively attached to the primary drum drive assembly;
(iv) adapted to control the primary drum drive assembly, including by stopping the rotation of the milling drum;
(v) operatively attached to the load cell sensor;
(vi) adapted to receive the signal indicating that the lifting column is not supporting at least the predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(vii) adapted, when the signal received from the sensor indicates that the lifting column is not supporting at least the predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine:
(1) to cause the drive control system to reduce the driving force provided by the ground-engaging drive assembly;
or
(2) to cause the drive control system to stop the driving force provided by the ground-engaging drive assembly;
or
(3) to cause the primary drum drive assembly to stop the rotation of the milling drum;
or
(4) to cause the drive control system to reduce the driving force provided by the ground-engaging drive assembly, and to cause the primary drum drive assembly to stop the rotation of the milling drum;
or
(5) to cause the drive control system to stop the driving force provided by the ground-engaging drive assembly, and to cause the primary drum drive assembly to stop the rotation of the milling drum.

27 more elements

A milling machine for milling a roadway surface, said milling machine having a milling machine weight and further comprising:

(a) a frame;
(b) a milling assembly comprising:
(i) a drum housing that is attached to the frame;
(ii) a milling drum that is mounted within the milling drum housing and adapted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis;
(iii) a primary drum drive assembly that is operatively attached to the milling drum and adapted to rotate the milling drum;
(c) a ground-engaging drive assembly that is operatively attached to a drive control system and is adapted to provide a driving force to drive the milling machine along the roadway surface;
(d) a lifting column that is attached at its upper end to the frame and at its lower end to the ground-engaging drive assembly, said lifting column having a long axis and including:
(i) a linear actuator which can be operated to raise and lower the frame of the machine with respect to the roadway surface;
(ii) an outer leg tube which is fixed to the frame and which has a top bracket, said top bracket having an upper surface;
(e) a load cell sensor that is adapted to:
(i) attach the upper end of the linear actuator to the outer leg tube;
(ii) determine if the lifting column is not supporting at least a first predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(iii) generate a signal indicating that the lifting column is not supporting at least the first predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(iv) determine if the lifting column is not supporting at least a second predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine, wherein the second predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine is different from the first predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(v) generate a signal indicating that the lifting column is not supporting at least the second predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(f) a controller that is:
(i) operatively attached to the drive control system for the ground-engaging drive assembly;
(ii) adapted to control the operation of the drive control system for the ground-engaging drive assembly, including by reducing or stopping the driving force provided by the ground-engaging drive assembly;
(iii) operatively attached to the primary drum drive assembly;
(iv) adapted to control the primary drum drive assembly, including by stopping the rotation of the milling drum;
(v) operatively attached to the load cell sensor;
(vi) adapted to receive the signal indicating that the lifting column is not supporting at least the predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine;
(vii) adapted, when the signal received from the sensor indicates that the lifting column is not supporting at least the first predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine, to cause the drive control system to reduce or stop the driving force provided by the ground-engaging drive assembly;
and
(viii) adapted, when the signal received from the sensor indicates that the lifting column is not supporting at least the second predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine, to cause the primary drum drive assembly to stop the rotation of the milling drum.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/810,249Filed 5 Mar 2020 · continuation in part
Priority: 7 Nov 2017
Published: US 2020/0040534 A125 Jun 2020
Granted: 15 Dec 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

E01C 23/088
Using power-driven tools, e.g. vibratory tools: rotary tools, e.g. milling drums
E01C 23/127
With power-driven tools, e.g. oscillated hammer apparatus: rotary, e.g. rotary hammers
G01G 19/12
For incorporation in vehicles: having electrical weight-sensitive devices
E01C
Construction of, or surfaces for, roads, sports grounds, or the like

Family

Application62/582,715Us provisional application · filed 7 Nov 2017
Application16/139,273Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 24 Sep 2018
Application16/596,271Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Oct 2019
US 2020/0199829 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 Jun 2020
US 10,655,286 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2019/0136468 A1Published application
US 2020/0040534 A1Published application
US 10,865,529 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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