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US 8,708,598 B2Granted
Stroke control trowel
AssigneeMultiquip, Inc.
InventorsSteven K. Hanson, Cole R. Baird, Robert Dane Davis, Benjamin A. Wiese, Brian L. Hammond, David Lilienthal, Bruce Gillespie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic speed control system for a power trowel for regulated adjustment of rotational speed of the trowel rotor assemblies. The disclosure provides for and is configurable to automatically regulate trowel speed and can be adapted to utilize advanced control features like cruise control and power management. The disclosed system incorporates several user and feedback inputs in a number of logic patterns for trowel control.
Claims34
A speed control system for a self-propelled power trowel for finishing a concrete surface, said power trowel comprising:
- a rigid frame means adapted to be disposed over said concrete surface, said rigid frame means having a front and a rear and defining a centerline from front to rear;
- power means for powering said power trowel supported by the frame means;
- a pair of rotor assemblies for frictionally contacting said concrete surface and supporting said frame means on said concrete surface, connected to the frame means so as to allow tilting of said rotor assemblies and operably connected to the power means, with each of said rotor assemblies comprising a plurality of troweling blade assemblies
- with said speed control system comprising:
- a user input for generating a reference input signal for controlling rotation speed of said rotor assemblies;
- a speed feedback signal proportional to rotational speed of said rotor assemblies;
- computing means which comprises a follower logic pattern that compares the reference input signal and speed feedback signal of said rotor assemblies, and adjusts a control signal to minimize the difference between the feedback and reference input signal, with the control signal changing the speed of rotation of said rotor assemblies.
4 more elements
A speed control system for a self-propelled power trowel for finishing a concrete surface, said power trowel comprising:
- a rigid frame means adapted to be disposed over said concrete surface, said rigid frame means having a front and a rear and defining a centerline from front to rear;
- power means for powering said power trowel supported by the frame means;
- a pair of rotor assemblies for frictionally contacting said concrete surface and supporting said frame means on said concrete surface, connected to the frame means so as to allow tilting of said rotor assemblies and operably connected to the power means, with each of said rotor assemblies comprising a plurality of troweling blade assemblies;
- with said speed control system comprising:
- a user input for generating a reference input signal for controlling rotation speed of said rotor assemblies;
- a first speed feedback signal proportional to rotational speed of first said rotor assembly;
- a second speed feedback signal proportional to rotational speed of second said rotor assembly;
- computing means which comprises a first and second follower logic pattern;
- the first follower logic pattern compares the reference input signal and first speed feedback signal of said first rotor assembly, and adjusts a first control signal to minimize the difference between the first speed feedback signal and reference input signal, with the first control signal changing the speed of rotation of first said rotor assemblies;
- and
- the second follower logic pattern compares the reference input signal and second speed feedback signal of said second rotor assembly, and adjusts the second control signal to minimize the difference between the second speed feedback signal and reference input signal, with the control signal changing the speed of rotation of second said rotor assemblies.
8 more elements
A speed control system for a self-propelled power trowel for finishing a concrete surface, said power trowel comprising:
- a rigid frame means adapted to be disposed over said concrete surface, said rigid frame means having a front and a rear and defining a centerline from front to rear;
- power means for powering said power trowel supported by the frame means;
- a pair of rotor assemblies for frictionally contacting said concrete surface and supporting said frame means on said concrete surface, connected to the frame means so as to allow tilting of said rotor assemblies and operably connected to the power means, with each of said rotor assemblies comprising a plurality of troweling blade assemblies;
- with said speed control system comprising:
- a user input for generating a reference input signal for controlling rotation speed of said rotor assemblies;
- a first speed feedback signal proportional to rotational speed of first said rotor assembly;
- a second speed feedback signal proportional to rotational speed of second said rotor assembly;
- computing means which comprises a first and second follower logic pattern;
- the first follower logic pattern compares the reference input signal and first speed feedback signal of said first rotor assembly, and adjusts a first control signal to minimize the difference between the first speed feedback signal and reference input signal, with the first control signal changing the speed of rotation of first said rotor assembly;
- and
- the second follower logic pattern compares the first speed feedback signal and second speed feedback signal of said second rotor assembly, and adjusts a second control signal to minimize the difference between the second speed feedback signal and first speed feedback signal, with the second control signal changing the speed of rotation of second said rotor assembly.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.