Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.

Caterpillar Sarl

Christopher Mark Elliott

Paul Anthony Dvorak

Christopher J Demick

Jeremy A Kushner

Michael Patrick Harmon

Michael William Ries

Joshua D Callaway

William Christopher Swick

Grant Steven Peterson

Sage F Smith

Sudarshan Maiyur

Mark Lee Norton

Jon Michael Scharf

Christopher W Pruess

Aaron J Weber

Michael R Donoho, Ii

Andrew Arnold Fredrickson

Vincent Guyard

An automatic vehicle speed control system for use in a vehicle having an implement is disclosed. The automatic vehicle speed control system includes: a controller configured to: set a speed of the vehicle to a creep setting; monitor one or more operating conditions of the implement; and automatically adjust the speed of the vehicle based on the one or more operating conditions of the implement.

Automatic vehicle speed control system

A grading control system may have a lift actuator to raise or lower a work implement, and a tilt actuator to tilt the work implement. The grading control system may also have a first sensor that communicates a signal indicative of a position of the work implement, and a second sensor that communicates a signal indicative of a position of the machine frame. The grading control system may have a controller to determine a track plane of the machine and a desired grade relative to the track plane. Further, the controller may determine an orientation of the work implement relative to the track plane to maintain the desired grade based on the sensor signals. The controller may also be configured to actuate one or both of the lift and the tilt actuators to orient the work implement according to the determined orientation.

Grading control system using machine linkages

An electronic control system for controlling movement of a work machine is disclosed. The control system may include a first and a second joystick, each of the first and second joysticks configured to move between a neutral and an operational position. Moreover a first and second resistive device may be operatively coupled to the first and second joysticks respectively. The first and second resistive devices may be configured to generate a resistive force to selectively retain the first and second joysticks in the operational position. Additionally, the control system may include a controller in communication with the first and second joysticks and the first and second resistive devices. The controller may transmit a first and second resistive force signal to activate one of the first and second resistive devices to generate the resistive force such that one of the first and second joysticks is retained in the operational position.

Motion coupling of multiple electronic control inputs

A method of managing operation of a machine is described herein. The machine includes drive components that supply a propulsive force exerted by the machine on a traveled surface. The machine includes a programmed controller that controls power output by a motor to the drive components of the machine, in accordance with a slippage model, to actively manage excessive slippage at a physical interface between the machine and the traveled surface. The programmed controller determines a track force indicative of the propulsive force exerted by the machine on the traveled surface. The programmed controller further determines a modeled slippage based, at least in part, upon the track force and the slippage model. The machine conditionally causes a reduction of the power output by the motor based upon a comparison, by the programmed controller, between the modeled slippage and a slippage limit.

Hydraulic motor having controlled output based on machine slippage model

A magneto-rheological (MR) damping system for preventing stratification of MR fluid is disclosed. The MR damping system has a housing, a piston, and a stir band. The piston operably reciprocates within the housing and includes a circumferential portion. The circumferential portion has a groove. The stir band is disposed in the groove of the piston and includes an outer periphery and a plurality of flexible protrusions. The flexible protrusions have a head portion and a tail portion. The head portion is fixed to the outer periphery. The tail portion extends from the head portion and is disjointed from the outer periphery and is substantially flexible relative to the head portion. Therefore, the stir band diverts a flow of MR fluid in one of a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction about the circumferential portion of the piston, during a reciprocatory movement of the piston.

Magneto-rheological damping system for preventing stratification

A drive system for a machine is disclosed. The drive system may have an engine, a pump driven by the engine to pressurize fluid, a motor connected to the pump via an inlet passage and an outlet passage, and a traction device driven by the motor. The drive system may also have an operator input device movable from a neutral position through a range to a maximum displaced position to affect a speed of the engine, and a controller in communication with the input device and at least one of the pump and motor. The controller may be configured to gradually adjust a displacement of the at least one of the pump and motor to slow the traction device over a period of time after the operator input device is returned to the neutral position.

Hystat drive system having coasting functionality

A method and apparatus for controlling a hydraulic power system is provided that includes a hydraulic motor and a hydraulic pump configured to supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor. A relief valve is provided that is configured to release hydraulic fluid from a location between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor when a pressure of the hydraulic fluid exceeds a predetermined relief pressure. Above a predetermined threshold pressure for the system, the displacement of the pump is adjusted to at least a minimum displacement that is based on a total demanded flow for the system that includes a desired flow of hydraulic fluid across the relief valve and a first hydraulic fluid flow consumed by the motor.

On demand displacement control of hydraulic power system

A system for controlling manual input device damping, and a related method and computer program product are disclosed. The system may comprise a manual input device mounted on a machine, a sensor that transmits to a controller an input signal indicative of the motion, acceleration, and/or deceleration of the machine, a variable damper that selectively alters the resistance of the input device to displacement based on a command signal transmitted by the controller, and a controller configured to adjust the resistance of the input device by adjusting the damping provided by the variable damper based on filtering of a historical trend of oscillation amplitudes at a frequency of concern.

Operator induced oscillation filter to prevent instability from operator

A manner of managing operation of a machine is described for preventing damage/wear to movable machine components arising from operation of the machine/parts at excessive speed while the machine is traveling down a steep incline. The managing of the machine operation includes determining a downhill slope value in a machine direction of travel and then establishing a maximum commanded transmission output speed in accordance with the determined downhill slope value. Thereafter a maximum commanded gear ratio is established, for a transmission having a variable gear ratio, based upon the maximum commanded transmission output speed and a current engine speed. A controller compares the maximum commanded variable gear ratio to an operator requested gear ratio, and a target gear ratio is established for the variable gear ratio of the transmission based upon a minimum of the compared commanded variable gear ratio and the operator requested gear ratio.

Open loop machine motor speed control based on downhill slope determination

A closed hydrostatic circuit with variable charge and variable flushing systems is disclosed. A variable displacement charge pump is configured to supply charge fluid and pilot control fluid to the hydrostatic circuit. An electronically controlled pressure regulating valve is in communication with an output of the charge pump and is linked to a controller. When the hydrostatic control system detects a high hydraulic temperature condition, the electronically controlled pressure regulating valve, that is in communication with an output of the charge pump and that is linked to a controller, increases the charge pump flow. A bidirectional variable displacement hydrostatic motor is connected in parallel to two input/output lines. A flush valve is in communication with the hydrostatic motor and both input/output lines. The flush valve and hydrostatic motor are both in communication with the flush orifice and a flush relief valve. When the pressure regulating valve causes the charge pump to operate at or near a full capacity, fluid exits the flush valve and passes through both the flush orifice and the flush relief valve. In contrast, when the pressure regulating valve causes the charge pump to operate at a lower or near minimum capacity, fluid exits the flush valve and passes through the flush orifice only without passing through the flush relief valve.

Hydrostatic circuits with variable charge and variable flushing systems

A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic transmission including a hydraulic pump configured to be coupled to a prime mover, a hydraulic motor configured to be coupled to an output shaft, and fluid lines coupling the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor to provide a fluid circuit providing flow communication between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor, such that operation of the hydraulic pump provides fluid flow to the hydraulic motor, and the hydraulic motor supplies torque to the output shaft. A controller is configured to control operation of the hydraulic transmission. The controller is configured to receive signals indicative of pressure in the fluid circuit and reduce an output of the hydraulic pump when the pressure in the fluid circuit reaches a pressure level, and a rate of response of the reduction of the output of the hydraulic pump is varied based on a temperature of fluid in the fluid circuit.

System and method for controlling hydraulic system based on temperature

A drivetrain system for use in a mobile machine is disclosed. The drivetrain system may have a first rotary fluid actuator, a second rotary fluid actuator, an input device, and a controller in communication with the first rotary fluid actuator, the second rotary fluid actuator, and the input device. The controller may be configured to determine a desired change in an effective gear ratio of the drivetrain system, and determine a total displacement change associated with the first and second rotary fluid actuators that produces the desired change in the effective gear ratio. The controller may also be configured to compare the total displacement change to a threshold change level, affect simultaneous displacement changes in the first and second rotary fluid actuators when the total displacement change exceeds the threshold change level, and affect sequential displacement changes in the first and second rotary fluid actuators when the total displacement change is less than the threshold change level.

Drivetrain system having simultaneous displacement control

A method and system for retarding an engine of a machine is provided. The machine has a hydraulic pump driven by the engine, a motor driven by the hydraulic pump, and a fan driven by the motor. The method includes sensing the operating speed of the engine with an engine speed sensor. The method also includes operating the motor at a first pressure. The method also includes comparing the operating speed to a trigger speed. The method also includes operating the motor at a second pressure greater than the first pressure if the operating speed of engine exceeds the trigger speed by a predetermined value.

Method and apparatus for retarding an engine

A fluid delivery system includes a first pump having a first drive assembly, a second pump having a second drive assembly, and a pump housing. At least a portion of each of the first and second pumps are located in the housing.

Multiple pump housing

An apparatus and method for pumping oil in a machine. The apparatus and method includes a first gear drivably connected to the machine, a second gear connected to the machine such that a set of teeth located on the first gear engage a set of teeth located on the second gear, an oil inlet port located near the teeth of the first gear slightly before a point of engagement of the teeth of the first and second gears, and an oil outlet port located at the point of engagement of the teeth of the first and second gears.

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Apex, NC, United States of America

Christopher Mark Elliott