Machine payload measurement dial-a-load system

• US 20070135985A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Mintah, Brian, Krone, John, Berry, Jeffrey, Baskett, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2029 Controlling the position of implements in function of its load, e.g. modifying the attitude of implements in accordance to vehicle speed control for hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2203, E02F9/2221 and E02F9/2253 take precedence

Abstract

A method of loading a truck with material using a loader includes a step of determining a target load for a final pass. Material is loaded into a bucket of the loader in excess of the target load. Excess material is dumped from the bucket back to the pile in a controlled manner to arrive at a target load of reposed material in the bucket. The target load amount of the material in the bucket, which is less than a total amount of material originally loaded in the bucket is dumped into the truck by pitching the bucket. The bucket may be pitched to a determined pitch angle that is based upon the target load using an appropriate material curve stored on the loader. The pitch control algorithm can be calibrated by sensing the reposed weight of material in the bucket, and comparing that to an expected reposed weight, and then updating one of the material curves if there is a deviation.

Claims

1. A method of loading a truck with material, comprising the steps of:

loading material into a bucket in excess of the target load;

determining a dump control parameter based on a target load;

dumping an amount, which is less than a total amount loaded into the bucket, of the material by pitching the bucket according to the dump control parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the loading step includes a step of loading at least 25% more material into the bucket than the target load;

and

reposing a target load amount in the bucket after the dumping step; and

dumping the reposed target load amount into the truck.

3. The method of claim 1 including a step of determining the target load as a difference between a desired truck load weight and a current truck load weight;

the dump control determination step includes a step of determining a value indicative of a desired pitch angle based on the target load; and

the pitching step includes pitching the bucket to stop at the desired pitch angle.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the determining step includes a step of determining a deviation from horizontal of a loader that includes the bucket;

and

adjusting the value indicative of pitch angle responsive to deviation from horizontal.

5. The method of claim 3 including a step of monitoring a value indicative of a pitch angle error during at least a portion of the pitching step;

and

ending the pitching step as the pitching angle error approaches zero.

6. The method of claim 1 including a step of identifying the material;

and

the determining step is also based on an identity of the material.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the determining step includes a step of selecting one of a plurality of material specific dump pitch angle data based upon the identity of the material;

and

determining the value indicative of pitch angle using the material specific dump pitch angle data.

8. The method of claim 1 including a step of sensing a reposed weight of material in the bucket following the dumping step;

and

comparing the sensed reposed weight to an expected reposed weight.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the dumping step is performed according to stored dump pitch angle data;

and

calibrating the dump pitch angle data for use in a subsequent dumping step based on a difference between the sensed reposed weight and the expected reposed weight.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the dumping step includes a step of dithering the bucket during the pitching step.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step includes a step of determining a desired pitching duration based on the target load;

and

the pitching step includes pitching the bucket for the desired pitching duration.

12. The method of claim 1 including a step of determining a deviation from horizontal of a loader that includes the bucket;

identifying the material in the bucket; and

the pitching step is also based on an identity of the material in the bucket and a determined deviation from horizontal of the loader.

13. The method of claim 12 including a step of sensing a reposed weight of material in the bucket following the dumping step;

comparing the sensed reposed weight to an expected reposed weight;

the dumping step is performed according to stored dump data; and

calibrating the dump data for use in a subsequent dumping step based on a difference between the sensed reposed weight and the expected reposed weight.

14. The method of claim 13 including a step of determining a value indicative of a desired pitch angle based on the target load;

and

the pitching step includes pitching the bucket to stop at the desired pitch angle.

15. The method of claim 13 including a step of determining a desired pitching duration based on the target load and the sensed weight;

and

the pitching step includes pitching the bucket for the desired pitching duration.

16. The method of claim 1 including the steps of dumping a plurality of bucket loads into the truck before making a final pass;

sensing a weight of material in the bucket for each of the plurality of bucket loads;

summing the sensed weights of the plurality of bucket loads to arrive at current truck load weight.

determining the target load weight as a difference between a desired truck load weight and the current truck load weight.

performing the steps of claim 1 in a final pass if the target load weight is less than a bucket maximum capacity weight.

17. A loader comprising:

a chassis;

a movable bucket connected to the chassis;

at least one sensor connected to the chassis;

an electronic payload controller supported on the chassis in communication with the at least one sensor and being in control communication with a bucket tilt actuator, and including dump control algorithm operable to dump an amount, which is less than a total amount, of material from the bucket in a final pass by pitching the bucket with the bucket tilt actuator according to a dump control parameter based on a target load.

18. The loader of claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor includes a displacement sensor coupled to the bucket tilt actuator.

19. The loader of claim 18 wherein the at least one sensor includes a chassis angle sensor operable to sense a deviation of the chassis from horizontal.

20. The loader of claim 19 including a plurality of stored material specific dump pitch angle data;

and

the dump control algorithm including a selector algorithm operable to select one the of the stored material specific pitch angle data.