Industrial machine including automated dump control
AssigneeJoy Global Surface Mining Inc
InventorJoseph Robert Wutke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments described herein provide for the control of an industrial machine dump operation by monitoring a position of the piston within a dump cylinder. The position of the piston is determined using a sensor within the dump cylinder. The sensor generates and provides an output signal to a controller. Based the output signal from the sensor, the controller is configured to limit the travel of the dump cylinder during the dump operation to reduce wear on the dump cylinder (e.g., by preventing damage caused when the dump cylinder is extending or retracting rapidly and the internal cylinder components make forceful contact with the rod or cap end).
Claims18
An industrial machine comprising:
- a bucket having a main body and a door, the industrial machine configured to maneuver the bucket to dig material;
- a dump cylinder having a piston and configured to open and close the door;
- a position sensor configured to sense a position of the piston within the dump cylinder;
- an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller configured to:
- control the dump cylinder at an initial speed from a first position towards a second position to move the door,
- receive an output signal from the position sensor,
- determine the position of the piston based on the output signal, and
- as the dump cylinder moves from the first position towards the second position, reduce a speed of the dump cylinder from the initial speed based on the determined position of the piston.
A method of controlling a bucket of an industrial machine that is configured to maneuver the bucket to dig material, the bucket having a main body and a door, the method comprising:
- controlling, by an electronic controller, a dump cylinder at an initial speed from a first position towards a second position to move the door of the bucket, the dump cylinder having a piston and configured to open and close the door;
- receiving, by the electronic controller, an output signal from a position sensor that is configured to sense a position of the piston within the dump cylinder;
- determining, by the electronic controller, the position of the piston based on the output signal;
- and
- as the dump cylinder moves from the first position towards the second position, reducing, by the electronic controller, a speed of the dump cylinder from the initial speed based on the determined position of the piston.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.