Dynamic motion optimization for excavating machines

• US 10,227,753 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Large Drives LLC (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Robertson, Daniel W., Jaeger, Julian D., Madhavarao, Gopalakrishnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cass, Jean Paul
• Application Number:
  US15/310,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20170107692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/00 Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle with power supply from force of nature, e.g. sun or wind, B60L8/00; for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/308 working outwardly
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/48 Drag-lines
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/123 Drives or control devices specially adapted therefor E02F9/125 and E02F9/128 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2033 Limiting the movement of frames or implements, e.g. to avoid collision between implements and the cabin sub-groups of E02F3/431 of E02F3/435 take precedence; for turntables E02F9/123
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)

Abstract

A system for an excavating machine comprises a control system operating aspects of the excavation machine; and a monitoring system receiving inputs from one or more sensors determining if the excavating machine is in a first state or a second state. In operation, if the excavating machine is in the first state, then the control system enables the excavating machine to perform a first action; or if the excavating machine is in the second state, then the control system disable the excavating machine to perform the first action.

Claims

1. A system for an excavating machine comprising:

a control system controlling the excavating machine including limiting a crowd speed based on a crowd angle; and

a monitoring system receiving inputs from one or more sensors carried by the excavating machine,

wherein the monitoring system determines a state of the excavating machine,

wherein, in operation, the control system enables the excavating machine to perform an action based on the state, and

wherein a processor of the control system receives input signals from at least one sensor and calculates a crowd angle and limits a maximum crowd speed as a function of a calculated crowd angle, such that when the crowd angle decreases, the maximum crowd speed allowed by the processor also decreases,

wherein controlling the excavating machine includes limiting speed at which a handle of the machine is extended or retracted based on the angle of the handle relative to an approximate vertical position,

wherein the handle is extended and retracted by an AC motor and the speed of the extraction and retraction is controllable by an operator via a user interface of the control system,

wherein controlling the excavating machine includes preventing the machine from stalling while in the operation of excavating, and

wherein the control system further comprises a processing system and at least one sensor, and the processing system monitors one or more input signals received from the at least one sensor and determines if the machine is about to stall, wherein the input signals from the at least one sensor comprise a voltage level of a motor of the machine, a torque on a handle of the machine, a tension in a hoist cable of the machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein controlling the excavating machine includes preventing a swing operation while the machine is excavating.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the state relates to the machine actively digging and the action is preventing the machine from swinging.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the state relates to the machine actively digging and the action is preventing a boom or arm of the machine from swinging.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the state relates to the machine actively digging and the action is preventing a walking mechanism of the machine from moving.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system further comprises a processing system and at least one sensor the at least one sensor sensing whether a dipper is engaged into a bank.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the AC motor controls the operation of the handle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein controlling the excavating machine includes limiting hoist speed of the machine.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control system further comprises a processing system and at least one sensor, wherein the processing system monitors one or more input signals received from the at least one sensor and calculates the hoist speed and a load in an excavating member of the machine.

10. The system of claim 9, the processing system of the control system limiting a maximum lowering hoist speed as a function of the load in the excavating member.

11. The system of claim 9, the processing system of the control system limiting a maximum raising hoist speed as a function of the load in the excavating member.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system further comprises a processing system and at least one sensor, and the processing system monitors one or more input signals received from the at least one sensor and determines if the machine is about to stall.