Method and apparatus for determining a material condition
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorDavid J. Rocke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for determining a condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation of a material engaged by a work machine having a work implement. A controller receives a first signal during a dig pass of the work machine, and determines a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the first signal, and transmits an output signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition.
Claims40
An apparatus for determining a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation for use with a work machine having a work implement, the apparatus comprising a controller operable to receive a first signal during a dig pass of the work machine, and to determine the material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the first signal, and to transmit an output signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition.
An apparatus for determining a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation for use with a work machine having a torque converter, comprising:
- a controller operable to receive a gear signal, a torque converter output speed signal, a tilt cylinder position signal, a tilt cylinder command signal, and
- at least one of an engine speed signal and a transmission speed signal, each signal being received during a dig pass, the controller operable to determine an accumulated torque as a function of the engine speed signal and the torque converter output speed signal, to determine a speed drop as a function of the transmission output signal, to determine a tilt cylinder velocity/command ratio as a function of the tilt cylinder position signal and the tilt cylinder command signal, and to determine a machine speed as a function of the gear signal and at least one of the engine speed signal and the transmission speed signal, the controller further operable to determine a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the accumulated torque, the speed drop, the tilt cylinder/command ratio, and the machine speed, and to transmit a material condition signal as a function of the material condition.
An operating machine, comprising:
- a chassis;
- an engine coupled with the chassis, the engine operable to generate a propelling force;
- a propulsion system coupled with the engine to receive the propelling force and operable to propel the operating machine as a function of receiving the propelling force;
- a work implement coupled with the chassis;
- a hydraulic system including a hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic system coupled with the work implement and the chassis, the hydraulic system operable to move the work implement;
- a first plurality of sensors operable to determine respective first parameters during a dig pass, and to transmit respective condition signals during the dig pass as a function of the respective parameters;
- at least one signal processor, each signal processor coupled with a respective second plurality of sensors to receive respective condition signals, each signal processor operable to generate a respective processed signal as a function of the respective condition signals;
- a first controller coupled with the at least one signal processor to receive the respective processed signal, the controller operable to determine a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation during the dig pass as a function of the respective processed signal, and to transmit an output signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition;
- and
- a second controller coupled with the first controller to receive the output signal, the first controller operable to adjust an operating characteristic of the work machine during the dig pass as a function of receiving the output signal.
A method for determining a material condition indicative of a level of difficulty of excavation in real time, comprising:
- determining at least one parameter during a dig pass;
- determining the material condition during the dig pass as a function of the at least one parameter;
- and
- transmitting a material condition signal during the dig pass as a function of the material condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.