Caterpillar Industrial Inc.

John C Paine

Robert T Mintus

Automated charging systems for vehicles having rechargeable batteries are in common use today. Such systems typically have exposed contacts or the need for additional circuitry to move the contacts. The subject system includes circuitry which allows the charge receiving member to be only connected to the battery during charging. The charging system produces a charging signal in response to a low battery. A microprocessor receives the charging signal and responsively produces a 'pulse' signal. A second transistor switch receives the 'pulse' signal and responsively energizes a charging contactor coil. In response to the charging contactor coil being energized, contacts controllably block power from the battery to the motor and pass power from the receiving member to the battery.

Charging system for a vehicle

Electronic hourmeter devices having non-volatile memories are useful, for example, in industrial vehicles. Advantageously, such non-volatile memories should be free from a need for battery back-up systems and should minimize the number of changes of the internal memory registers. The subject electronic hourmeter apparatus includes both a dynamic memory device and a non-volatile memory device. Data is maintained in each of the memory devices and memory bit changes are minimized by utilizing a gray coded binary representation of a portion of the data and by systematically altering the addressed memory location of a portion of the data in response to one of the stored data values. Data storage occurs both periodically and in response to disconnection of the vehicle battery. Thus, the disclosed electronic hourmeter apparatus 10 advantageously maintains the integrity of the stored data, minimizes the number of bit changes that occur in the non-volatile memory device, and avoids the need for a battery back-up.

Hour meter apparatus and method

Electronic hourmeter devices having service reminders are useful, for example, in industrial vehicles. Advantageously, such service reminders should be field programmable for a variety of predetermined service intervals. The subject electronic service reminder is readily field programmable by authorized personnel and is protected from being programmed or reset by unauthorized personnel. A service status indicator is activated in response to the elapsed hourmeter time exceeding the programmed service interval time, and both the hourmeter elapsed time and the service reminder programmed time are resettable in response to a predetermined magnetic flux applied to respective Hall effect switches. Data is advantageously maintained in a non-volatile memory device without need for a battery back-up.

Programmable service reminder apparatus and method

An apparatus for controllably actuating an electrical device in response to movement of a control member is useful, for example, in an industrial vehicle, including a chassis, a power supply electrically isolated from the chassis, and a steering assembly having a rotatably connected steering wheel. The subject apparatus includes a control member mounted on and rotatable with the steering wheel. An excitation circuit is provided for supplying a predetermined excitation signal to a receiving circuit which responsively produces a control signal. The control signal is modified in response to a predetermined movement of the control member. A control circuit actuates and deactuates the electrical device in response to receiving the control and modified control signals. Thus, the apparatus controllably actuates the electrical device while maintaining the control member electrically isolated from the power supply. The steering wheel is free to rotate without interconnecting wires or slip rings.

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Chardon, OH, United States of America

John C Paine