Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Global Mining Europe Gmbh

Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC

Brian Daniel Rockwood

Everett Gene Brandt

Robert J McGee

Carl John Moberg

Stephen T Tady

Martin Teiner

Brent Duppong

Paul Kornev

Thomas Temmann

Oliver Kortmann

Frank Kühnemund

Bjoern-Andre Huehn

Frank Kuehnemund

William Mortland Radeline

Sebastien Behra

Pierre Barriol

Rick William Berlage

Rene Bilsing

Matt Palmer

Jerry E Berkeland

Björn-Andre Hühn

Guillame Raffin

A compressed air system may comprise an air compressor configured to generate compressed air, a reservoir configured to store the compressed air, a reservoir pressure sensor configured to monitor an actual reservoir pressure of the compressed air stored in the reservoir, an outlet valve configured to regulate a flow of the compressed air out of the reservoir, and an outlet electronic actuator configured to adjust a position of the outlet valve. The compressed air system may further comprise an electronic control module (ECM) configured to transmit a command to the outlet electronic actuator to cause the outlet electronic actuator to open the outlet valve when the actual reservoir pressure is above a target reservoir pressure, and transmit a command to the electronic actuator to cause the electronic actuator to close the outlet valve when the actual reservoir pressure is below the target reservoir pressure.

Electronically-controlled compressed air system

A milling depth compensation system for milling rock determines a target position of a machine, an initial position of the work surface, and a target pose of the machine based on the target position of the machine and the initial position of the work surface. An actual pose of the machine is determined and differences between the actual pose and the target pose are used to determine a dynamic milling path of a milling tool. The dynamic milling path includes movement of the milling tool along a first path, a second path, and a third path. Command signals are generated to move the milling tool along the dynamic milling path.

Milling depth compensation system and method

A site positioning system for an underground machine includes a first prism coupled with the underground machine, a second prism operatively coupled with the underground machine, a primary total station, and a reference prism may be in communication with the primary total station. A positioning controller is configured to control, responsive to receiving a High Accuracy Machine Position mode, the primary total station to monitor the first prism and the second prism and transmit a first prism position and a second prism position, respectively, to the positioning controller; control, responsive to receiving a Low Accuracy Machine Position mode, the primary total station to monitor the first prism and transmit the first prism position to the positioning controller; determine, responsive to receiving a Reference Prism Measurement mode, whether a reference prism measurement has been completed, and present positioning information for the machine based on one or more of the prism positions.

Site positioning system for an underground machine

A control system for controlling power distribution in a vehicle equipped with a work device comprising a first parasitic power request module configured to produce an operational value signal indicative of an operational characteristic of a first parasitic device; and a power distribution module configured to effect a distribution of constant net power to the work device, the power distribution module operable to receive the first operational value signal from the first parasitic power request module and to effect a distribution of power to the first parasitic device suitable for the operational characteristic while maintaining constant net power to the work device, wherein the power distribution module is configured to effect an uncontrolled power distribution to the work device when the first operational value signal of the first parasitic device reaches a predetermined level.

Method and system for controlling power distribution

An angular velocity control for a boom of a machine is disclosed and a method for controlling the angular velocity of a boom of a machine. The angular velocity control includes a calculator that detects input signals from an operator control lever, a boom angle sensor, a cylinder length sensor, a chassis cant sensor, and a chassis tilt sensor. Movement of the operator control lever allows an operator to pre-select a desired angular velocity. Based on the geometry of the boom to the machine the calculator calculates a boom gain associated with the current boom angle. The calculator then calculates a necessary cylinder velocity to achieve the desired angular velocity. The calculator sends a control signal to an electrohydraulic control module which in turn sends a signal to an electrohydraulic valve associated with a boom lift cylinder. The electrohydraulic valve alters the flow rate of hydraulic fluid into or out of the boom lift cylinder to produce a cylinder velocity that in turn produces the desired angular velocity of the boom.

Angular velocity control and associated method for a boom of a machine

A boom control apparatus and method are disclosed for controlling a boom of a machine. The boom control apparatus includes a boom angle sensor, a boom length sensor, a chassis pitch angle sensor, a chassis roll angle sensor, and a control lever. All of the sensors generate signals associated with the values of their measured parameters. Movement of the control lever along a first axis generates a first pivot velocity signal for a desired pivot velocity of the boom. Movement of the control lever along a second axis generates a first telescoping velocity signal for a desired telescoping velocity of the boom. An electrohydraulic control module detects the signals from the sensors and the control lever. The electrohydraulic control module generates a second pivot velocity signal or a second telescoping velocity signal. The second signals are directly proportional to the first signals and inversely proportional to the signals generated by the sensors. The electrohydraulic control module sends the second signals to an electrohydraulic valve associated either with a boom lift cylinder or a boom telescoping cylinder to effect the desired pivot or telescoping velocity. Thus, the present invention allows for more precise control of the end of a boom when the boom is either extended or elevated.

Boom extension and boom angle control for a machine

An apparatus and method for providing coordinated control of a work implement of a work machine. The implement includes a boom having a first end portion and a second end portion, with the first end portion pivotally connected to the frame and the second end portion pivotally connected to a load-engaging member. The apparatus includes a boom position sensor adapted for providing a boom position signal, and an input device adapted for delivering a desired boom velocity signal indicative of the desired velocity of the boom. The desired velocity of the boom includes a desired angular velocity and a desired linear velocity. The apparatus receives the boom position signal and the desired boom velocity signal, and determines an actual velocity of the boom as a function of the boom position signal. The apparatus also compares the actual velocity of the boom and the desired velocity of the boom, and modifies the desired angular velocity and the desired linear velocity in response to a difference between the desired and actual velocities of the boom.

Apparatus and method for providing coordinated control of a work implement

An apparatus and method for providing coordinated control of a work implement of a work machine. The implement includes a boom having a first end portion and a second end portion, with the first end portion pivotally connected to the frame and the second end portion pivotally connected to a load-engaging member. The apparatus includes a position sensor adapted for providing a position signal, and an input device adapted for delivering a desired velocity signal indicative of the desired velocity of the load-engaging member. The desired velocity includes a desired angular velocity and a desired linear velocity. The apparatus receives the position signal and the desired velocity signal, and determines an actual path of travel of the load-engaging member, and a desired path of travel of the load-engaging member. The apparatus further modifies the desired angular velocity and the desired linear velocity in response to a deviation between the actual and desired paths of travel.

A method and system for controlling fluid flow from a hydraulic fluid supply via a single hydraulic pump in an electrohydraulic system having multiple hydraulic cylinders connected to the hydraulic pump and corresponding work implements includes input devices for generating input signals representative of a desired amount of movement of at least two of the work implements. A controller, coupled to the input devices and the cylinders, determines a scaling factor for each of the hydraulic circuits associated with each of the cylinders for compensating the hydraulic circuit for receiving less than maximum fluid flow from the pump. The controller also determines a desired percentage of fluid flow to each of the hydraulic circuits based on the desired amount of movement of the work implements and the corresponding scaling factors and controls the fluid flow from the fluid supply to each of the hydraulic circuits based on the desired percentages of fluid flow to allow for maximum fluid flow to each of the hydraulic circuits.

Method and system for controlling fluid flow in an electrohydraulic system having multiple hydraulic circuits

In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus and method for determining a path or series of paths at a work site for a mobile machine capable of operating autonomously or semi-autonomously is provided. The present invention determines a series of rows that are substantially parallel to the machine's heading. The width of the rows is based on the width of the path worked by one or more of the machine's work implements. The work site is bounded by three or more corner points and the perimeter of the work site is defined by boundary lines connecting the corner points. A first line substantially perpendicular to the machine's heading is calculated starting at an initial corner point and ending at a terminal point along the line having a distance approximately equal to the width of the path. A second line parallel to the machine's heading and passing through the terminal point is determined. The points of intersection of the second line with the boundary lines are calculated and stored as end points of a first path. Endpoints of successive paths are found in a similar manner by incrementing the distance along the parallel line by the width of the work path.

Method and apparatus for determining a path to be traversed by a mobile

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for transitioning a mobile machine from a first path to a second path within a work area includes selecting from among one or more transition schemes, wherein the transitions schemes are composed of one or more interim paths between the first path and the second path. The desired transition scheme is chosen by evaluating one or more performance criteria including whether the interim paths overshoot the second path and whether the interim paths remain within a perimeter surrounding the work area. Additional performance criteria that may be evaluated include the number of interim paths the mobile machine must follow to transition from the end of the first path to the beginning of the second path, the number of heading changes required by the candidate transition scheme, and the amount of the first path and the second path that is traversed by the mobile machine as a result of the candidate transition scheme. A validity grade is determined based on the performance criteria, and the transition scheme having the optimum validity grade is selected. Determining the validity grade may also include using weighting factors on the performance criteria.

Growing community of inventors

Washington, IL, United States of America

Brian Daniel Rockwood