Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.

Caterpillar Sarl

Rustin Glenn Metzger

Corey Lee Gorman

Adam Martin Nackers

Christopher Michael Ruemelin

Justin Douglas Speichinger

Anthony Dean McNealy

Terril James Johnson

Brad Robert Van De Veer

Jeffrey Lee Kuehn

Corwin Eugene Storer

Matthew Edward Kontz

Steven Spencer

Shogo Tada

David E Ault

David Eugene Cooper

Joshua Aaron Fossum

Matthew Bunge

Andrew Sumners

Nathaniel S Doy

Daniel Peter Sergison

Paul Anthony Dvorak

Matthew James Beschorner

Zhijun Cai

Carl John Moberg

Eric Alan Reiners

Matthew-David S Frantz

Derek Peter Nieuwsma

Ryan Adam Enot

Hideki Nakajima

Daniel J Martinez

Santosh Ancha

Thomas J Olson

Steven D Spencer

Shinya Ohmura

Chris Rustu Cesur

Chris R Cesur

A mechanical swing brake variable control system for an earth-moving machine including an upper revolving car body with swing components mounted on the upper revolving car body, a lower traveling car body with traction components mounted on the lower traveling car body, and a mechanical service brake interconnected with the upper and lower car bodies, controls relative rotation between the upper and lower car bodies. A pressure control device controls a variable pressure applied to the mechanical service brake to vary an amount of swing drive holding torque. An electronic controller monitors and processes signals received from sensors associated with the swing components and machine operator commands, and variably controls the amount of holding torque exerted on the upper revolving car body using the mechanical service brake as a function of one or more of machine roll angle, operational configuration of the swing components, inertial mass of the swing components, and machine operator commands.

Swing motion variable control system

A system and method for determining a health status of a hydraulic system is disclosed. The system may comprise a controller configured to receive a request to determine a health status and in response to the request, automatically conduct a health test and determine the health status. The health test may include: move a member or the upper frame; receive information indicative of measurements associated with movement; determine one or more parameters; compare each parameter to a check range or value; and if the pump status, the main control valve leakage status, the in-line relief valve leakage status, the cylinder drift status or the cylinder seal leak status associated with the component is currently failing, predicted to fail or out of specification, identify the component as a service-needed on a display or log and activate an alarm.

Hydraulic health system

A hydraulic system may include a first actuator to control a first linkage member, a second actuator to control a second linkage member, a first primary hydraulic circuit and a first secondary hydraulic circuit that include the first actuator, a second primary hydraulic circuit and a second secondary hydraulic circuit that include the second actuator, a first pump to cause fluid to flow through the first primary hydraulic circuit and the second secondary hydraulic circuit, a second pump to cause fluid to flow through the second primary hydraulic circuit and the first secondary hydraulic circuit, and a controller. The controller may be configured to determine that an operator assistance mode is enabled, and cause closing of a first valve that controls fluid flow through the first secondary hydraulic circuit and a second valve that controls fluid flow through the second secondary hydraulic circuit.

Control of a hydraulic system

A swing motion control system for an earth-moving machine may include a closed loop hydraulic circuit including a hydrostatic swing pump fluidly coupled to at least one hydraulic swing motor configured to control a swing mechanism of the earth-moving machine, a pressure control device configured to control the pressure of fluid supplied to the hydrostatic swing pump for control of the pressure output by the pump, and a controller. The controller may be configured to monitor and process signals received from sensors and operator input, wherein the signals received from the sensors are indicative of machine position and pose, and inertia mass of swing components and a payload being moved by the swing mechanism of the machine, and control at least one of an offset amount for desired pump displacement by the hydrostatic swing pump or an offset amount for pump output pressure from the hydrostatic swing pump based on at least one of an amount of slope on which the machine is operating or the inertia mass of the swing components and payload.

Hystat swing motion actuation, monitoring, and control system

A hydraulic system controller is disclosed. The hydraulic system controller may determine a maximum active circuit pressure of a set of active hydraulic circuits of the hydraulic system, wherein the hydraulic system includes a hydraulic pump to cause fluid to flow throughout the set of active hydraulic circuits; determine a circuit pressure of a hydraulic circuit of the hydraulic system; determine, based on a hydraulic flow command for the hydraulic circuit and the circuit pressure, a desired circuit delta-pressure for the hydraulic circuit; determine, based on the desired circuit delta-pressure and a pressure difference between the maximum active circuit pressure and the circuit pressure, a circuit valve setting for a circuit valve of the hydraulic circuit; and cause a control device to set a position of the circuit valve according to the circuit valve setting.

Electrical control of a hydraulic system

A construction system includes an excavator having a hydraulically controlled linkage and a hydraulic robot. The hydraulic robot includes a plurality of arms extending from a base, each arm having a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic robot further includes a robot control system directing movement of the plurality of arms and an end effector platform movable by rotation of the arms.

Hydraulic delta robot control system

A rotary mixer can include a frame, a rotor attached to the frame, four wheels attached to the frame for moving the rotary mixer, and a drive system for driving the four wheels, the drive system can include four independent hydrostatic drive loops, each of the independent hydrostatic drive loops associated with one of the wheels such that each one of the independent hydrostatic drive loops independently drives one of the four wheels; wherein the drive system includes a pressure balance mode of operation for relatively good traction ground or road conditions, and a wheel speed synchronization mode of operation for relatively poor traction ground or road conditions.

Traction control method for a rotary mixer

A hydraulic circuit is disclosed. The hydraulic circuit may include a hydrostatic pump to provide, at a flow rate, a fluid to a hydraulic motor, wherein the hydrostatic pump has a displacement, and wherein the hydraulic motor drives a swinging element; a swing circuit pressure sensor to sense a circuit pressure of the hydraulic circuit; a pilot pressure actuator to control, based on a supply pressure, the displacement of the hydrostatic pump; a pilot pressure override valve to control the supply pressure; and a controller configured to adjust, based on sensed signals and with the pilot pressure override valve, the supply pressure, wherein the sensed signals include: a circuit pressure signal based on the circuit pressure sensed by the swing circuit pressure sensor; and a sensed swing speed signal based on a swing speed of the swinging element sensed by one or more machine sensors.

Hydraulic circuit for a swing system in a machine

An excavator machine includes an undercarriage assembly including a drive assembly, and a carriage assembly rotatably coupled to the undercarriage assembly and including an operator cab positioned at a front of the carriage assembly. The excavator machine also includes a boom assembly. The boom assembly is coupled to the carriage assembly via two branches, and the branches are coupled to the carriage assembly on opposing sides of the operator cab.

Machine with a boom assembly

Machine with a boom assembly and connection member

A kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) for a machine having a swing motor and/or an actuator includes a hydraulic motor/pump that can output pressurized fluid for operating at least one of: the swing motor and the actuator. A first shaft of the hydraulic motor/pump can be rotated by fluid returning from at least one of: the swing motor and the actuator back to the hydraulic motor/pump. Further, the KERS also includes a flywheel that can selectively couple with the first shaft with the help of a first clutch. The flywheel stores drive power generated by the hydraulic motor/pump from the return flow of fluid when the first clutch couples the flywheel with the first shaft of the hydraulic motor/pump. A gearing arrangement is coupled to the flywheel and can selectively engage with a second shaft associated with a prime mover of the machine with the help of a second clutch.

Kinetic energy recovery system for a machine

A method of using sensor feedback for controlling fluid pressures in a machine includes receiving signals from each of a plurality of Inertial Measurement Units (IMU's) mounted on different components of the machine, receiving a signal from at least one non-IMU sensor, fusing the signals received from the IMU's with each other and with a signal from the at least one non-IMU sensor, determining best estimates of current output joint angles for each of the plurality of components of the machine with reference to a machine reference frame, solving a kinematic equation using the best estimates of current output joint angles for the components of the machine and structural design information characterizing the machine, and applying a determination from the solution of the kinematic equation in an implementation of a controlled adjustment to a fluid pressure supplied to a fluid actuation cylinder.

Sensor fusion feedback for controlling fluid pressures in a machine

A system and process of controlling a hydraulic system in a work machine includes determining if an operation of the hydraulic system of the work machine meets a predetermined criteria with a controller, and operating a drain valve of the hydraulic system such that there is a minimum flow from a hydraulic pump to a drain if the operation of the hydraulic system of the work machine does not meet the predetermined criteria via the controller. The system and process further operating the drain valve of the hydraulic system such that there is a limited flow from the hydraulic pump to the drain if the operation of the hydraulic system of the work machine meets the predetermined criteria via the controller such that the predetermined criteria comprises at least a predetermined time period T since the work implement system of the work machine has been operated.

Device and process for controlling and optimizing hydraulic system performance

A hydrostatic drive system for a machine is disclosed. The hydrostatic drive system includes a pump, a hydraulic motor configured to receive a pressurized fluid from the pump and a controller operably connected to the pump and the hydraulic motor. The controller is configured to receive an input signal indicative of a current machine speed and a desired machine speed. Further, the controller is configured to output a motor displacement command signal and a pump displacement command signal to adjust a displacement of the hydraulic motor and the pump respectively based on the input signal to maintain at least one of constant machine speed or constant acceleration or constant deceleration during adjustment of the pump displacement and the motor displacement.

Hydrostatic drive system

Growing community of inventors

Congerville, IL, United States of America

Rustin Glenn Metzger