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US 12,146,301 B2Granted
Automatic torque control system
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsSudarshan A. Maiyur, Jeffrey M. Pillis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic torque control system and methods for automatically controlling a torque of a vehicle are disclosed. The method includes detecting when the vehicle engages a load. The method further includes automatically decreasing the torque when the vehicle engages the load and prior to one or more wheels of the vehicle slipping.
Claims20
A method for automatically controlling a torque of a vehicle, comprising:
- engaging an automatic torque control system, by a vehicle controller, when the vehicle engages a load, the vehicle controller including an auto wheel torque module that receives input signals from a plurality of sensors including a transmission system pressure sensor and a vehicle speed sensor, wherein the vehicle controller receives the input signals from the transmission system pressure sensor and determines a transmission pressure is greater than a transmission pressure threshold value;
- determining a type of ground surface, wherein the vehicle controller stores a plurality of values relating to different types of ground surfaces;
- and
- automatically decreasing the torque to a base torque setting for torque output from a transmission system when the vehicle controller detects when the vehicle engages the load and prior to one or more wheels of the vehicle slipping, wherein the vehicle controller generates the base torque setting based on the input signals from the plurality of sensors and the plurality of values, and
- the base torque setting is set to a first torque output value based on a first determined type of ground surface and set to a second torque output value based on a second determined type of ground surface.
2 more elements
An automatic torque control system, comprising:
- a vehicle having one or more wheels;
- a transmission system for providing a torque to the one or more wheels;
- a sensor system, the sensor system including a transmission system pressure sensor with a transmission pressure threshold;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- determine whether the one or more wheels are at a pre-slip condition that precedes the one or more wheels slipping, wherein the pre-slip condition is a condition where the vehicle pushes with a maximum torque without the one or more wheels slipping;
- detect when the vehicle engages a load, wherein the controller detects the load by receiving signals from the transmission system pressure sensor that a transmission system pressure is greater than the transmission pressure threshold;
- and
- automatically decrease the torque to a base torque setting, based on the signals from the transmission system pressure sensor, when the vehicle engages the load and prior to the one or more wheels slipping.
6 more elements
A method for automatically controlling a torque of a vehicle, comprising:
- detecting an auto torque command is engaged when the vehicle is powered on for use, wherein the auto torque command is generated by an automatic torque control module;
- setting, by the automatic torque control module, the torque to a maximum torque setting;
- detecting, by a transmission pressure sensor, when the vehicle engages a load, wherein the automatic torque control module receives signals from the transmission pressure sensor and determines whether a transmission pressure is greater than a transmission pressure threshold value;
- determining, by the automatic torque control module, a type of ground surface, wherein the automatic torque control module detects the type of ground surface present and automatically generates ground surface values and a pre-slip torque setting for one or more wheels, wherein the ground surface values are based on input signals the automatic torque control module receives from a plurality of sensors and the pre-slip torque setting is a maximum torque value that can be output without the one or more wheels slipping;
- automatically decreasing the torque to a base torque setting when the vehicle engages the load and prior to the one or more wheels slipping, wherein the base torque setting is based on the determined type of ground surface;
- and
- automatically increasing the torque to the maximum torque setting when the vehicle is not engaged with the load.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.