Caterpillar Inc.

John Gates

Mirko Barbir

Josh Nolke

Yanchai Zhang

Xuefei Hu

Gerry Owen McCann

Steven De Gryze

Yun Liu

Wenming Zhao

Chunhui Pan

Biagio Ciarla

Neil Taylor

Shiferaw Damtie Beyene

Nathan J Wieland

Daojie Zhang

Nimesh Akalanka Jayakody

Nasim Suterwala

Andrew Ellis

Ian R A Hawkes

Stacy Linn Grove

An electronic control module (ECM) on-board a machine executes a reduced-order model configured to generate virtual sensor data associated with a machine component based on sensor data measured by actual sensors. The ECM can also execute a machine learning model configured to generate offset data for the sensor data and/or the virtual sensor data, based on operating conditions, an age of the machine component, and/or other factors that the reduced-order model may not consider. The sensor data and/or the virtual sensor data, adjusted based on the offset data, can indicate whether the machine component has failed or is predicted to fail at a future point in time, and/or a remaining usable life of the machine component.

On-board machine component failure detection

A brake assembly includes a housing, a brake element configured to be operatively associated with an axle for resisting rotation of the axle, and a piston configured to be selectively moved into and out of braking engagement with the brake element. The brake assembly further includes a slack adjustment mechanism for limiting movement of the piston when the piston is moved out of braking engagement with the brake element. The slack adjustment mechanism includes a shuttle configured to be engaged by the piston, and a plurality of stop elements carried by the shuttle and configured to be moved off the shuttle into a well of the housing. Movement of the piston is stopped when the shuttle engages an end wall of the well or one of the stop elements in the well.

Brake assembly having slack adjustment mechanism

A system and method are provided for enhancing the slope-holding capability of an earth-moving machine. The machine includes a plurality of ground-engaging elements and a first parking brake configured to brake a first subset of the plurality of ground-engaging elements. A second parking brake is mounted and is configured to brake a second subset of the plurality of ground-engaging elements. A brake controller is configured to sense engagement of the first parking brake and to engage the second parking brake when the first parking brake is engaged only if one or more machine state criteria are also met. In an embodiment, the one or more machine state criteria include zero machine speed, neutral transmission state, and a machine slope that exceeds a predetermined threshold slope.

Front park brake protection controls

A mobile machine includes a propulsion system. The propulsion system may include a prime mover, a traction device, and a clutch operable to transmit power produced by the prime mover to the traction device. The propulsion system may also include propulsion-system controls operable to control the clutch. The propulsion-system controls may include at least one information processor configured to estimate a temperature of the clutch based at least in part on an estimated slippage of the clutch and a fluid temperature.

Clutch temperature estimation for a mobile machine

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Oswego, IL, United States of America

John Gates