Speed control for a mobile machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsRichard L. Fulcher, Ethan M. Tevis, Matthew D. Dobsch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile machine includes an internal combustion engine operatively connected to a plurality of propulsion devices for travel over a work surface. The mobile machine can include an electronic controller that receives condition data signals indicative of the operating state or condition of the mobile machine from a plurality of condition input sensors. The electronic controller compares the condition data signals with condition threshold to determine whether to operate the internal combustion engine in accordance with rated engine speed range or an adjusted engine speed range.
Claims20
A mobile machine for an earth working operation, the mobile machine comprising:
- a machine frame supported on a plurality of propulsion devices for travel over a work surface;
- an internal combustion engine supported on the machine frame and operatively connected to the plurality of propulsion devices by a drivetrain, the internal combustion engine operating at a rotational speed;
- a transmission disposed in the drivetrain, the transmission having a plurality of fixed gear ratios;
- a plurality of condition input sensors configured to sense one or more operating conditions of the mobile machine;
- and
- an electronic controller in data communication with the plurality of condition input sensors to receive condition data signals, the electronic controller programmed to:
- regulate operation of the internal combustion engine in accordance with a rated engine speed range that constrains the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine to a rated minimum engine speed and a rated maximum engine speed,
- compare the condition data signals with one or more condition thresholds, and
- regulate operation of the internal combustion engine, based on the comparison, in accordance with an adjusted engine speed range that constrains the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine to an adjusted minimum engine speed and an adjusted maximum engine speed that are respectively different from the rated minimum engine speed and the rated maximum engine speed.
A method of speed control for a mobile machine comprising:
- regulating operation of an internal combustion engine within a rated engine speed range associated with a rated minimum engine speed and a rated maximum engine speed of the internal combustion engine;
- transmitting rotational speed from the internal combustion engine through a drivetrain to a plurality of propulsion devices for travel, of the mobile machine, over a work surface;
- receiving a condition data signal from a condition input sensor indicative of a change in an operating condition of the mobile machine;
- comparing the condition data signal with a condition threshold;
- and
- regulating operation of the internal combustion engine, based on the comparison, within an adjusted engine speed range including an adjusted minimum engine speed and an adjusted maximum engine speed that are different from the rated minimum engine speed and rated maximum engine speed, respectively.
A speed control system for a mobile machine comprising:
- a plurality of condition input sensors configured to sense one or more operating conditions of the mobile machine and to communicate condition data signals indicative of the one or more operating conditions;
- and
- an electronic controller programmed to:
- regulate operation of an internal combustion engine in accordance with a rated engine speed range having a rated minimum engine speed and a rated maximum engine speed,
- compare the condition data signals with one or more condition thresholds, and
- regulate operation of the internal combustion engine, based on the comparison, in accordance with an adjusted engine speed range having an adjusted minimum engine speed and an adjusted maximum engine speed that are respectively different from the rated minimum engine speed and the rated maximum engine speed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.