Cold planer loading and transport control system
AssigneeCaterpillar Paving Products Inc.
InventorsJohn Lee Marsolek, Eric S. Engelmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system for a cold planer having a conveyor configured to transfer material into a first receptacle is disclosed. The control system may include a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of an amount of material being transferred into the first receptacle, a communication device configured to transfer information between the cold planer and the first receptacle, and a controller electronically connected to the first sensor and the communication device. The controller may be configured to receive an input from the first receptacle via the communication device and determine a fill level of the first receptacle based on the first signal and the input from the first receptacle.
Claims20
A control system for a cold planer having a conveyor configured to transfer material into a first receptacle, the control system comprising:
- a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of an amount of material being transferred into the first receptacle;
- a communication device configured to transfer information between the cold planer and the first receptacle;
- and
- a controller electronically connected to the first sensor and the communication device and configured to:
- receive an input from the first receptacle via the communication device;
- and
- determine a fill level of the first receptacle based on the first signal and the input from the first receptacle.
A method of operating a cold planer system, comprising:
- transferring material into a first receptacle via a conveyor;
- determining an amount of material being transferred into the first receptacle based at least in part on signals from a sensor on the cold planer;
- receiving at a controller that is in communication with both the cold planer and the first receptacle, an input from the first receptacle;
- and
- determining at the controller a fill level of the first receptacle based on the signals and the input from the first receptacle.
A cold planer, comprising:
- a frame;
- a milling drum connected to the frame;
- a conveyor pivotally connected to the frame and configured to load milled material into a first receptacle;
- a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of an amount of material being transferred into the first receptacle;
- a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a position of the conveyor with respect to the first receptacle
- a communication device configured to transfer information between the cold planer and the first receptacle and between the cold planer and a second receptacle;
- and
- a controller electronically connected to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the communication device and configured to:
- receive an input from the first receptacle via the communication device;
- generate a command to adjust the position of the conveyor with respect to the first receptacle based on the first and second signals and the input from the first receptacle;
- determine a fill level of the first receptacle based on the first signal and the input from the first receptacle;
- and
- generate a dispatch signal when the fill level of the first receptacle exceeds a threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.