Vehicle system monitor
AssigneeCaterpillar Tractor Co.
InventorsHarrison F. Cox, Thomas E. Cochran, Lawrence F. Fratzke, Joe E. Fuzzell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A monitor system for indicating the existence of one or more undesirable operating conditions of an engine-powered vehicle, and including three separate indicator panels. The first panel is energized prior to starting the engine and indicates individual prestart-condition faults, the indicators being disabled after the engine is in operation. The second panel indicates individual operating-condition faults and gives warnings of a different magnitude depending on the criticality of the faults. The third panel is for sevice faults and latches service-fault indications for general presentation to the vehicle operator and individual presentation to service personnel after the vehicle has been shut down.
Claims16
An improvement in a monitor system for an engine-powered vehicle having an operator location for the operator of said vehicle, a battery, a main disconnect switch arranged when closed to connect said battery to the operating circuits of said vehicle and engine thereof, said vehicle having a plurality of fluid level conditions, operating conditions and service conditions, said vehicle having a condition-responsive means associated with each of said conditions, each condition-responsive means being operable to signal the existence of an undesirable state in the condition with which it is associated, the improvement comprising:
- a. first, second and third indicator panels mounted on said vehicle, at least said second panel being disposed at said operator location,
- b. said first panel having a plurality of visually observable indicators each associated with a different fluid-level-condition-responsive means, said first panel including means operable when said first panel is energized to individually energize said first panel indicators in response to an undesirable-state operation of the fluid-level-condition-responsive means associated therewith,
- c. means connecting said first panel to said battery for energization of said first panel from said battery during at least a portion of the time said main disconnect switch is closed,
- d. means responsive to an engine-operating condition for inhibiting energization of said first panel indicators during operation of said engine,
- e. said second panel having a plurality of visually observable indicators each associated with a different operating-condition-responsive means, said second panel including means operable when said second panel is energized to individually energize said second panel indicators in response to an undesirable-state operation of the operating-condition-responsive means associated therewith,
- f. means for connecting said second panel to said battery for energization of said second panel from said battery during the time said main disconnect switch is closed,
- g. said third panel having a plurality of visually observable indicators each associated with a different service-condition-responsive means, said third panel including means operable when said third panel is energized to individually energize said third panel indicators in response to an undesirable-state operation of the service-condition-responsive means associated therewith and for latching energized indicators in an energized state, said third panel further including manually operable reset means for unlatching energized indicators,
- h. means for connecting said third panel directly across said battery for energization of said third panel from said battery irrespective of whether said main disconnect switch is open or closed,
- i. means responsive to an engine-operating condition for inhibiting energization of any of said third panel indicators by said service-condition-responsive means during the time when said engine is not in operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.