Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.

Mathew James Hedrington

Bryan Joseph Downing

Toby Andrew Frelich

Chad M Thiesse

Anthony P Steinhagen

Ronald D Wilson

Ryan Todd Thiesse

Ricky Leon Mings

Jacob A Simmer

Lee M Hogan

Ryan James Nelson

Kyle David Hendricks

Bradley D Anderson

Rick L Mings

Ryan J Schuette

Mark A Tarvin

Jeremy Lee

Paul S Petersen

Rolf Af Klinteberg

Andrew Rafael Kopca

Subba R Gundala

A system adjusts an instantaneous turn center for a paving machine having a tow vehicle and a screed assembly towed by the tow vehicle such that no portion of the screed assembly moves backward over freshly laid pavement when the paving machine paves around a curve. The system receives an input from an operator, a sensor, and/or a database. The input includes a distance and a direction from a first vertical axis defined by a traction device of the tow vehicle on a side of the tow vehicle facing the curve, to a second adjusted vertical axis defined by a point at least as far from the first vertical axis as an outer edge of the screed assembly that touches the curve. The system receives the input, and adjusts the instantaneous turn center for the paving machine to coincide with the second adjusted vertical axis.

Steering control for paving machine

A paving machine includes a frame, a drive assembly including a steering mechanism, a hopper, a screed assembly, a material delivery system disposed on the frame and configured to transport a volume of paving material to the screed assembly, and a material feed adjustment system. The material delivery system includes a left conveyor having a left conveyor speed, a right conveyor having a right conveyor speed, a left auger having a left auger speed, and a right auger having a right auger speed. The material feed adjustment system includes a steering input sensor configured to transmit a steering angle of the steering mechanism, and a controller in electronic communication with the steering input sensor. The controller is configured to automatically control the left conveyor speed, the right conveyor speed, the left auger speed and the right auger speed based on the steering angle to maintain the target pile size.

Automatic material feed adjustment system

A system includes a paver work machine, one or more tow machines, and a controller. The paver includes a motor-generator unit (MGU) selectively operable in a motor mode and a generator mode, and a power source electrically connected to the MGU and configured to supply electrical power to and receive electrical power from the MGU. Each of the one or more tow machines are configured to be connected to and pull the paver. The controller is communicatively connected to and configured to selectively operate the MGU in the generator mode to supply electrical power to and charge the power source or in the motor mode to use electrical power from the power source to power at least a portion of operation of the paver.

Methods and systems for generating power for work machine

A paving machine can include a frame; a screed coupled to the frame, the screed including one or more screed plates; one or more movable extender mechanisms located at a back end of each screed plate and configured to extend and retract up and down beneath the screed plate; and a controller configured to extend the one or more extender mechanisms a pre-determined distance before the screed begins a paving operation and to retract the one or more extender mechanisms after the screed has begun the paving operation.

Automated mechanical system to position screed at starting paving depth

A paving machine includes a tractor portion, a screed assembly, a lifting assembly configured to move the screed assembly from a raised position to a lowered position, an operator interface configured to receive input from an operator, and a control module. The tractor portion includes a plurality of tractor sensors configured to detect the presence of an object in a detection zone. The screed assembly is configured to be towed behind the tractor portion, and includes a plurality of screed sensors configured to detect the presence of an object in a detection zone. The control module is configured to receive a 'lower screed' input from the operator interface, receive a plurality of signals from the plurality of tractor sensors and the plurality of screed sensors, determine if an object is present in the detection zone based on the plurality of signals, automatically prevent or halt lowering of the screed assembly and direct the operator interface to display a warning if an object is detected, and direct the lift assembly to lower the screed assembly to the lowered position if no object is detected.

System and method for automatic lowering of a paving machine screed assembly

A screed assembly is disclosed. The screed assembly has a screed frame that includes a main screed. Attached to the main screed is a drop arm that is used to attach the screed assembly to a work machine. An actuator device of the screed assembly adjust the main screed from a neutral position to a nulled position by rotating the main screed around an axis of the pivot pin. The screed assembly may further include a controller that determines whether the main screed is in the neutral position and adjust the main screed to the nulled position by sending a null adjustment signal to the actuator device, and the actuator device moving the main screed from the neutral position to the nulled position in response to the null adjustment signal.

Automated nulling screed assembly

A construction machine that frequently changes between a forward and reverse direction of movement includes a system and method for operating the machine such that rotation of the operator seat can change the direction and speed of the machine's movement to minimize disorientation by the operator. The machine can be changed from moving in the forward direction to moving in the reverse direction, without changing the position of a propel lever or joystick that is used to control the direction and speed of the machine's movement. Rotation of the seat can be used to proportionally reduce the speed of the machine as the machine nears a threshold for changing direction. The joystick can be a dual axis lever that can move along a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis. The direction of movement and speed of the machine can depend on a combination of the joystick position and seat position.

Machine centric control for compaction machines

A work machine includes a frame, one or more drive members coupled to the frame, an engine for providing power to the one or more drive members, one or more components coupled to the frame, and a monitoring system for monitoring wear of the one or more components. The system includes a user interface and a controller. The controller is in circuit communication with the user interface. The controller is configured to receive information inputted into the user interface by a user and send an alert notification regarding the servicing of at least one of the one or more components based on the received information.

Work machines and systems for monitoring wear of components of work machines

A paving machine can include a frame; a screed coupled to the frame; and a density sensor coupled to the paving machine and configured to measure a density of an asphalt mat as the screed passes over the asphalt mat.

Material density measurement for paver application

A paving machine for paving a work surface can include a hopper for receiving, accommodating, and dispensing a paving material. The hopper may be movable into various positions including a conventional configuration, a material receiving configuration, and a material feeding configuration. The paving machine may include a hopper regulation system associated with a material quantity sensor and an object detection sensor and that utilizes data obtained therefrom to decide on proceeding with a material receiving operation, a material feeding operation, or to suspend hopper operation.

Paving machine with hopper regulation system

A grade control indicator assembly is disclosed. The grade control indicator assembly may include a keypad to control one or more functionalities of a machine, where the keypad includes a set of grade control light indicators integrated into the keypad, and where the set of grade control light indicators includes a first subset of grade control light indicators for indicating a grade of the machine with respect to a first side of the machine and a second subset of grade control light indicators for indicating the grade of the machine with respect to a second side of the machine.

Grade control indicator assembly

A work machine includes a power generator configured to generate power to propel the machine, a brake system, an operator seat, one or more sensors, and a controller. The operator seat is rotatably mounted to the machine. The one or more sensors are configured to generate one or more signals indicative of an orientation of the operator seat relative to a direction of travel of the machine. The controller is coupled to the machine and communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors. The controller is configured to determine that the operator seat is out of alignment with the direction of travel based on the one or more signals and automatically actuate the brake system if the operator seat is out of alignment with the direction of travel for more than a first threshold time.

Controlling machine operation based on seat orientation

A material feed system for a paving machine includes a first optical sensor and a second optical sensor that are configured to generate data characteristic of paving material associated with corresponding ones of a left feed mechanism and a right feed mechanism of the paving machine. A controller is communicably coupled to the first optical sensor, the second optical sensor, a left conveyor, and a left auger of the left feed mechanism, and a right conveyor and a right auger of the right feed mechanism. The controller is configured to control the left material feed mechanism and the right material feed mechanism independently of each other such that the left conveyor and auger speeds are independently adjusted based on the data received from the first optical sensor and the right conveyor and auger speeds are independently adjusted based on the data received from the second optical sensor.

Material feed system for a paving machine

A controller receives inputs from a user interface that sets a speed for moving a tow point of an asphalt paving machine at a speed higher than a normal operating speed. The controller also receives signals from a user interface that moves the tow point in a selected direction at the set speed.

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Ham Lake, MN, United States of America

Mathew James Hedrington