Method for controlling an electric drive machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsMichael Donald Betz, Stephen Carl Garnett, Chih Chieh Liang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided for controlling an electric drive work machine including an engine and an electric motor that provides power to enable the work machine to travel across a surface terrain at certain ground speeds. In one embodiment, the method may include detecting a reverse directional shift of the work machine causing the work machine to travel in a reverse direction. Further, the method may include performing an engine speed reduction process that reduces a current speed of the engine based on the detected reverse directional shift without reducing a ground speed of the work machine while traveling in the reverse direction.
Claims10
A system for controlling an electric drive work machine, comprising:
- an engine;
- an electric motor that provides power to a travel mechanism that allows the work machine to travel across a terrain surface at certain ground speeds;
- an engine control system that is configured to:
- determine when the work machine experiences a reverse directional shift causing the work machine to travel in a reverse direction,
- determine whether a ground speed of the work machine while traveling in the reverse direction is above a predetermined threshold value, and
- send an engine control signal to the engine that reduces the speed of the engine from a current engine speed to an adjusted engine speed based on the detected directional shift and when the ground speed of the work machine while traveling in the reverse direction is above the predetermined threshold value.
A system for controlling an electric drive work machine including an engine and an electric motor that provides power to enable the work machine to travel across a surface terrain at certain ground speeds, the system comprising:
- means for detecting a reverse directional shift of the work machine causing the work machine to travel in a reverse direction;
- means for determining whether a ground speed of the work machine while traveling in the reverse direction is above a predetermined threshold value;
- means for sending an engine control signal to the engine that reduces the speed of the engine from a current engine speed to an adjusted engine speed based on the detected directional shift and when the ground speed of the work machine while traveling in the reverse direction is above the predetermined threshold value;
- and
- means for performing an engine speed reduction process that reduces a current speed of the engine based on the detected reverse directional shift without reducing a ground speed of the work machine while traveling in the reverse direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.