Construction machine with rotor load monitoring
AssigneeCaterpillar Paving Products Inc.
InventorBrian J. Schlenker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine for road work for road work, the machine can comprise: a frame, a drive system including a power source carried by the frame, a milling system driven by the power source and a controller. The milling system can comprise: a rotor configured to rotate and remove an amount of material from a working area; a drive member coupling the rotor to be driven by the power source; a tensioner assembly configured to tension the drive member; and a sensor configured to measure the tension of the drive member. The controller can be configured to, in response to a signal received from the sensor, determine if the rotor has encountered an object capable of damaging the rotor.
Claims20
A machine for road work, the machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a drive system including a power source carried by the frame;
- a milling system driven by the power source, the milling system comprising:
- a rotor configured to rotate and remove an amount of material from a working area;
- a drive member coupling the rotor to be driven by the power source;
- and
- a sensor configured to measure at least one of a rotational speed or acceleration of the drive member;
- and
- a controller configured to, in response to a signal received from the sensor, determine if the rotor has encountered an object capable of damaging the rotor.
A method of monitoring a rotor of a working machine, the method comprising:
- providing a drive member coupling the rotor to be driven by a drive system of the working machine;
- sensing a characteristic comprising at least one of a rotational speed or acceleration of the drive member;
- and
- determining if the rotor has encountered an object capable of damaging the rotor based upon the sensing.
A system comprising:
- a frame;
- a drive system including a power source;
- a milling system driven by the power source, the milling system comprising:
- a rotor configured to rotate and remove an amount of material from a working area;
- a belt configured to couple the rotor to be driven by the power source;
- a belt pulley configured to retain the belt;
- and
- a sensor configured to measure at least one of a rotational speed or acceleration of the belt pulley;
- and
- a controller configured to, in response to a signal received from the sensor, determine if the rotor has encountered an object capable of damaging the rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.