Caterpillar Inc.

Grant Steven Peterson

Randall Todd Anderson

Jason Brinkman

Rustu Cesur

Michael G Cronin

Daniel Peter Sergison

Michael D Anderson

Christopher Mark Elliott

Joshua D Callaway

Thomas Alan Brosowske

Megan Alissa Brinkmeyer

Raymond B Derer

A disconnect clutch and method of controlling the connection of a parasitic load to an engine disposed on a machine is disclosed. The disconnect clutch may comprise a flywheel assembly, a friction plate and a coupling. The flywheel assembly may include a flywheel having a cavity, a chamber, a piston moveable between a contracted position and an expanded position, a pressure plate, a lever, and a coupling operably connected to the friction plate. The flywheel may include an end plate. The chamber may be defined by the flywheel and the piston. The lever may apply an activation force to the pressure plate when the piston is in the expanded position. The friction plate may be attached to and rotatable with the flywheel assembly when the piston is in the expanded position and generally stationary when the piston is in the contracted position.

Disconnect clutch

A control system for controlling speed of an engine of a work machine having a hydrostatic transmission is disclosed. The control system may include a power source and a hydrostatic transmission operatively coupled to the power source. The control system may also include a controller capable of receiving information from the power source and the transmission and actively controlling an engine speed of the work machine to reduce the engine speed below a threshold value to emulate an engine lug during a stall condition.

Powertrain stall engine speed control

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 hydraulic control system is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a hydraulic actuator, a valve arrangement, and an operator input device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a desired hydraulic actuator velocity. The hydraulic control system may also have a sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of an actual flow rate of fluid entering the hydraulic actuator, and a controller. The controller may be configured to determine a desired flow rate of fluid into the hydraulic actuator based on the first signal; to estimate the actual flow rate based on the desired flow rate, a correction flow rate, and a system response model; and to determine the actual flow rate based on the second signal. The controller may also be configured to make a comparison of the estimated and determined actual flow rates of fluid, and to determine the correction flow rate based on the comparison.

Hydraulic control system having cylinder flow correction

A hydraulic control system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a hydraulic circuit, and a pump configured to supply pressurized fluid to the hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic control system may also have a first fluid actuator fluidly connected to receive pressurized fluid from the hydraulic circuit, a first valve arrangement movable to control a flow of fluid to the first fluid actuator, a second fluid actuator fluidly connected to receive pressurized fluid from the hydraulic circuit, and a second valve arrangement movable to control a flow of fluid to the second fluid actuator. The hydraulic control system may additionally have a controller in communication with the first and second valve arrangements. the controller may be configured to make a determination of a stall condition of the first fluid actuator, and to selectively change a flow command directed to the second valve arrangement based on the determination.

Hydraulic control system having cylinder stall strategy

A hydraulic control system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a hydraulic circuit, a pump configured to supply pressurized fluid, and a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a pressure of the hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit may also have a first fluid actuator fluidly connected to receive pressurized fluid from the hydraulic circuit, a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a velocity of the first fluid actuator, and a controller in communication with the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to receive an input indicative of a desired flow rate for the first fluid actuator, to determine an actual flow rate of the first fluid actuator based on the second signal, and to determine a stall condition of the first fluid actuator based on the desired flow rate, the actual flow rate, and the first signal.

A control system for a machine may include a processor configured to communicate with a power source. The processor may also be configured to communicate with a transmission assembly. The processor may be configured to determine whether the power source is in a potential stall condition based at least in part on an actual speed of the power source and a requested speed of the power source. If the power source is in the potential stall condition, the processor may be configured to request that fuel be supplied to the power source although the fuel is not currently required by the power source, in anticipation of an increase in load on the machine.

Machine control system and method

A machine includes a plurality of torque consuming devices drivingly coupled with an internal combustion engine. The plurality of torque consuming devices includes a continuously variable transmission coupling the internal combustion engine with a plurality of ground engaging elements. An electronic controller is in communication with the internal combustion engine and the plurality of torque consuming devices and is configured to execute a torque load control algorithm for generating a torque load limit based, at least in part, on an engine underspeed value. The electronic controller identifies a potential engine stall event during which a current engine speed of the internal combustion engine drops below the engine underspeed value by a predetermined amount, and executes a transient torque load control algorithm to adjust the torque load limit responsive to the identification of the potential engine stall event.

System and method for controlling engine torque load

A machine control system may include a processor configured to communicate with an operator interface including an acceleration pedal and a forward-neutral-reverse selector, a power source, and a transmission assembly. The processor may be configured to obtain a request from the forward-neutral-reverse selector. The processor may also be configured to provide an instruction for adjusting operation of the transmission assembly in response to the forward-neutral-reverse selector request. The process may also be configured to obtain a request for an increase in a speed of the power source at a first rate. The power source speed request may be based on a position of the acceleration pedal. The processor may also be configured to provide an instruction for increasing the power source speed at a second rate slower than the first rate. This may provide the transmission assembly with time to respond to the forward-neutral-reverse selector request by switching from one of a forward travel state, a neutral state, and a reverse travel state, to another of the forward travel, neutral, and reverse travel states.

System and method for machine control with rate limiting

A hydraulic control system is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a pump, a plurality of actuators, and a plurality of valve arrangements configured to meter pressurized. The hydraulic control system may also have at least one operator input device configured to generate signals indicative of desired velocities of the plurality of actuators, and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive a pump torque limit, determine a maximum pump flow capacity, and determine desired flow rates for each of the plurality of valve arrangements based on the signals. The controller may also be configured to make a first reduction of the desired flow rates based on the maximum pump flow capacity, to make a second reduction of the desired flow rates based on the pump torque limit, and to command the plurality of valve arrangements to meter the desired flow rates after the second reduction.

Growing community of inventors

Metamora, IL, United States of America

Grant Steven Peterson