Caterpillar Inc.

Timothy D Schwartz

Rodney L Menold

David R Wisley

Joel L Skalet

Ryan Anderson

James W Landes

Russell J Pugh

James Harris Mutti

Rajesh Narayanan Nair

Samuel Were

Kurt L Winckler

Fazal Ahmad Goraya

James B McKnight

Ian Macdonald

Anthony J Weltzer

Andrew C Jensen

Behnaz Ensan

James Vernon Dornberger, Ii

Kevin Walsh

An engine braking system includes engine braking actuators for adjusting exhaust valve timings to engine braking timings in a cylinder-number braking mode. The system further includes an engine braking controller coupled to a control switch that produces a request indicating a requested cylinder-number braking mode. The engine braking controller is structured to transition exhaust valves to the engine braking timings, determine a control term to adjust intake air pressure for varying a braking power of the engine, and to adjust geometry of an exhaust turbine based on the control term. An adjusted speed of a compressor rotated by the exhaust turbine provides a change to intake air pressure that adjusts the braking power of the engine. Different levels of braking power are provided within different cylinder-number braking modes.

Engine braking method and control system varying engine braking power within cylinder-number braking mode

A construction machine includes a system and method for performing a lockout or stand down of the machine to prohibit movement of the machine or one or more components of the machine, without shutting down the machine. Information about the status of the machine or a component thereof can be collected and relayed to an electronic control module (ECM) to determine whether to lockout the construction machine. If appropriate, the ECM can command lockout to an electrical component of the machine or component to prohibit movement of the machine or component until the lockout is released.

Locking out a machine to prohibit movement

A machine includes an engine, a brake system, a speed sensor, a grade sensor, a load sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to: determine a grade force based on the weight of the machine and the grade at which the machine is disposed; determine a deceleration force based on a target deceleration and the weight of the machine; monitor the speed at which the machine is traveling; determine an actual deceleration of the machine based on the monitored speed at which the machine is traveling; determine a deceleration error based on a difference between the actual deceleration and the target deceleration; determine a force correction based on the deceleration error; and control the brake system to apply a total brake force equal to the sum of the grade force, the deceleration force, and the force correction.

Work machine speed control braking

Methods include electronically monitoring sensor or transceiver location information to detect a location of a machine. Responsive to detection of the machine, determining if the machine is located within a first geographic region, and if the machine is located within a first geographic region, electronically sending a command to an actuator that is coupled to the machine to initiate a first response. The first response includes limiting a height of an implement that is coupled to a chassis of the machine. The implement being height-adjustable relative to the chassis by action of the actuator.

Geofence body height limit with hoist prevention

A machine includes: an axle having wheels mounted to it; a brake system configured to provide service braking to the wheels; a brake pedal operatively connected to the brake system to provide a braking power to the wheels in proportion to the position of the brake pedal; a pedal sensor operatively connected to the brake pedal to sense the position of the brake pedal; a retarder system configured to selectively slow the wheels down; a speed sensor operatively connected to the machine to detect a speed associated with the machine; a controller operatively connected to the speed sensor, brake pedal position sensor, and retarder system wherein the controller is configured to operate the retarder system based on signals received from the speed sensor and brake pedal position sensor. A method for providing an indication to an operator may also be included.

Retarder integrated braking system and method

A rollover prevention system for a machine is disclosed. The rollover prevention system may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to detect a discharge event of a payload material from the machine and measure a body angle of the machine. The rollover prevention system may further include a controller in communication with the IMU. The controller may be configured to determine an angle of repose of the machine based on the detected discharge event and the measured body angle.

Angle of repose detector for hauling machines

A method for implementing and canceling an automatic operation of a body of a machine includes receiving a selection of an automatic setting according to a first operation of a hoist mode actuator, determining an activation state of the automatic setting, causing an automatic operation of an engine of the machine to adjust an idle level of the engine and an automatic operation of a hoist system to move the body in a first direction to a first position. The method includes canceling the automatic operation of the engine and the automatic operation of the hoist system and controlling the idle level of the engine according to operations of a throttle, the hoist system to move the body according to the idle level of the engine and respective directions of the second operation the hoist mode actuator and subsequent operations of the hoist mode actuator.

System and method of automatically operating a hoist system for a machine

A method for implementing an operation of a body of a machine includes receiving data indicating an operation of a positioning mode actuator to facilitate movement of the body from a first position, determining activation state of a multi-auto mode to actuate a first auto lower mode to operate a hoist system to lower the body automatically and a first auto raise mode to operate the hoist system to raise the body automatically. The method includes determining the first auto lower mode is selected according to the data indicating the operation of the positioning mode actuator, and causing a hoist system to actively lower the body from the first position to a second position and passively lower the body from the second position to a third position, independent of the activation state of the multi-auto mode.

System and method of operating a positioning mode actuator to operate a material dispersal device

An articulated machine having a first frame and a second frame supported by first and second wheel assemblies respectively is provided. The machine includes a first sensor and a second sensor to provide position information of the first frame and the second frame respectively. The machine includes a drive train to couple the front and rear wheel assembly, and having an inter axle differential to facilitate the front and the rear wheel assembly to move at different speeds. The machine includes a controller to compare position of the first frame with position of the second frame to determine relative position of the second frame with respect to the first frame. The controller compares the relative position of the second frame with a predefined position limit. The controller selectively locks the inter axle differential when the determined relative position of the second frame is greater than the predefined position limit.

System and method of preventing articulated machine roll-over

A retarding unit in a vehicle is automatically controlled based on conditions including a current setting of the retarding control, downhill grade, speed, current gear, and impending gear change. With the retarder control set in the high position, when the vehicle is operating at a downhill angle greater than the low angle threshold and less than the high angle threshold, and the pending gear is a large step downshift, automatically setting a retarder level to a low retarder level. When the vehicle is operating on level ground and the pending gear is a large step downshift or the current gear is first or second gear, automatically setting the retarder level to off. When the vehicle is operating on flat ground and the deceleration is above a trigger level, automatically setting the retarder level to a low retarder level.

Growing community of inventors

East Peoria, IL, United States of America

Timothy D Schwartz