Slip control using an automatic central tire inflation system
AssigneeCase Corporation
InventorAndrey Skotnikov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A slip control system for a work vehicle is disclosed. The work vehicle is supported by a set of inflatable tires. The slip control system may include a true ground speed sensor, a wheel speed sensor, a compressor mounted on the work vehicle, an air manifold connected to the compressor and to the inflatable tires, and a control unit which receives signals from the ground speed sensor and the wheel speed sensor and supplies signals to the air manifold based on the slip seen by the inflatable tires. The slip control system controls the amount of slip seen by the inflatable tires by controlling the inflation in the tires.
Claims20
A slip control system for a work vehicle supported by a set of inflatable tires, the slip control system comprising:
- a true ground speed sensor;
- a wheel speed sensor;
- a source of pressurized air mounted on the work vehicle;
- an air valve assembly connected to the pressurized air source and to the inflatable tires;
- and
- a control unit coupled to the true ground speed sensor, the wheel speed sensor, and the air valve assembly, the control unit configured to receive signals from the true ground speed sensor and the wheel speed sensor, to calculate slip based upon the true ground speed and wheel speed signals and to supply signals to the air valve assembly based on the slip, wherein the control unit commands inflation when the slip is less than a first predetermined value and wherein the control unit commands deflation when the slip is greater than a second predetermined value, the first and second predetermined values defining an optimal slip range.
A work vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- a set of inflatable tires mounted to the frame;
- an air compressor mounted to the frame;
- and
- at least two slip control systems mounted to the frame and connected with the air compressor and with the inflatable wheels,
- wherein the slip control systems control the inflation and deflation of the inflatable wheels according to slip of the inflatable wheels.
A method for controlling wheel slippage of a work vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- sensing the true ground speed of the work vehicle;
- sensing the wheel speed of the work vehicle;
- receiving at least one of a preselected rate of inflation and a preselected rate of deflation;
- comparing the true ground speed and the wheel speed, and calculating a slip metric in response to the comparison;
- and
- supplying a control signal to a selector valve to take one of the actions selected from a group consisting of inflating, deflating, and sealing an inflatable tire mounted to the work vehicle, wherein at least one of inflating and deflating is based on the at least one preselected rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.