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US 2021/0276472 A1Published application
Sensing dump body characteristics and control
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsJoel D. BANNINGA, Francois STANDER, Michael J. SCHMIDT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A material type identifier identifies a type of material loaded into a dump truck. When the dump truck is unloaded, a flow rate identification system identifies a flow rate of material exiting the dump truck. A flow rate controller automatically controls the tailgate actuator based on a desired flow rate of material exiting the dump body of the dump truck.
Claims20
A dump truck control system, comprising:
- a material type identification system that receives an accelerometer signal, from an accelerometer coupled to a frame of the dump truck that supports a dump body, indicative of sensed accelerations induced by material as the material is loaded into the dump body, the material type identification system identifying a material type of the material based on the accelerometer signal;
- a transport loss identification system that receives a load sensor signal and identifies a material loss value indicative of material loss;
- and
- a control signal generation system that generates a control signal to control a controllable subsystem of the dump truck based on the identified material type and the material loss value.
1 more element
A dump truck control system, comprising:
- a flow rate measurement system that receives a flow rate signal, indicative of a material flow rate of material out of a dump body of the dump truck during a dumping operation, from a flow rate sensor and identifies the material flow rate based on the flow rate signal;
- a tailgate actuator that moves a tailgate of the dump truck between a closed position and an open position;
- a tailgate control system that automatically generates a tailgate control signal to control the tailgate actuator based on the material flow rate.
A method of controlling a dump truck, comprising:
- receiving a flow rate signal, indicative of a material flow rate of material out of a dump body of the dump truck during a dumping operation, from a flow rate sensor;
- identifying the material flow rate based on the flow rate signal;
- and
- automatically generating a tailgate control signal to control a tailgate actuator, that moves a tailgate of the dump truck between a closed position and an open position, based on the material flow rate.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.