Wheel tractor scraper production optimization

• US 20090043460A1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Burt, Quentin D., Morey, Stephen J., Vik, Timothy A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,229,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/6436 with scraper bowls with an ejector having translational movement for dumping the soil E02F3/6445 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/6481 with scraper bowls with an ejector having translational movement for dumping the soil E02F3/649 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/651 Hydraulic or pneumatic drives; Electric or electro-mechanical control devices E02F3/652, E02F3/653 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for enhancing productivity for an excavating machine is disclosed. The method includes determining at least one cycle characteristic for an operating cycle of the excavating machine. The method also includes measuring payload accumulated by the machine during a loading phase of an operating cycle of the excavating machine. The method further includes controlling payload accumulated by the machine based on at least one of the at least one determined cycle characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing productivity for an excavating machine, comprising:

determining at least one cycle characteristic for an operating cycle of the excavating machine;

measuring payload accumulated by the machine during a load phase of an operating cycle of the excavating machine; and

controlling payload accumulated by the machine based on the at least one determined cycle characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling payload accumulated includes calculating the optimum payload for an operating cycle based on the at least one determined cycle characteristic.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one cycle characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

the length of a haul phase of the operating cycle;

the grade to be negotiated during an operating cycle;

the character of the ground to be traversed during an operating cycle; and

the manner in which the machine is loaded.

4. The method of claim 1, further including controlling machine speed during a haul phase based on payload accumulated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling payload accumulated includes calculating the optimum payload for an operating cycle based on at least the length of a haul phase of the operating cycle, the grade to be negotiated during an operating cycle, the character of the ground to be traversed during an operating cycle, and the manner in which the machine is loaded.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining at least one cycle characteristic for an operating cycle of the excavating machine includes determining a load growth curve for the machine, and controlling payload accumulated based on the character of the load growth curve.

7. The method of claim 6, further including determining the load growth curve for the machine based on the type of material loaded and the manner in which the machine is loaded.

8. The method of claim 6, including determining the load growth curve for the machine during machine operation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the load growth curve for the machine during machine operation includes determining the speed of payload accumulation during a load phase.

10. An earthmoving system for enhancing productivity in loading and transporting a quantity of material, comprising:

a mobile machine including a payload carrier configured to engage material to be loaded during a load phase, and configured to be raised from engagement with the material during a haul phase; and

a control system associated with the machine and configured to control the payload loaded by the machine based on at least one cycle characteristic of the machine.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system includes at least one measuring unit configured to ascertain the amount of payload loaded.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the measuring unit includes a strategically located camera providing a view of the material entering the payload carrier during loading, and further including at least one actuator associated with the payload carrier and configured to raise the payload carrier responsive to a signal indicating that a predetermined payload has been loaded.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one cycle characteristic includes a load growth curve based on the type of material loaded and the manner in which the machine is loaded, and the control system is configured to control the payload loaded based on the character of the load growth curve.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the control system is configured to determine the load growth curve for the machine during machine operation.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system is configured to calculate the optimum payload for an operating cycle based on the at least one cycle characteristic of the machine, the at least one cycle characteristic including at least one of the length of a haul phase of the operating cycle, the grade to be negotiated during an operating cycle, the character of the ground to be traversed during an operating cycle, and the manner in which the machine is loaded.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system is configured to calculate the optimum payload for an operating cycle based the at least one cycle characteristic of the machine, the at least one cycle characteristic including at least the length of a haul phase of the operating cycle, the grade to be negotiated during an operating cycle, the character of the ground to be traversed during an operating cycle, and the manner in which the machine is loaded.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein enhancing productivity includes altering the length of time for a load phase of an operating cycle based on the length of time of a haul phase of an operating cycle.

18. A machine, comprising:

a mobile unit configured to load and transport a quantity of material during an operating cycle;

front and rear ground supporting units;

a payload carrier intermediate the front and rear ground supporting units;

a steering unit for steering the machine during transport of loaded material;

at least one power source for delivering power to the machine;

a system configured to measure the quantity of material loaded by the machine; and

a controller configured to control the amount of material loaded into the payload carrier based on at least one cycle characteristic for the machine.

19. The machine of claim 18, wherein the system configured to measure the quantity of material loaded by the machine includes at least one camera strategically located to provide a view of the material entering the payload carrier during loading.

20. The machine of claim 19, wherein the camera is configured to supply a signal to the controller indicative of the speed of material accumulation within the payload carrier, and the controller is configured to determine a load growth curve for the machine based at least on the signal indicative of the speed of material accumulation within the payload carrier.

21. The machine of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to control the amount of material loaded into the payload carrier based on:

the length of a haul phase of the operating cycle;

the grade to be negotiated during the operating cycle;

the character of the ground to be traversed during the operating cycle;

the type of material loaded during a load phase of the operating cycle;

the character of the machine, including machine size and manner of loading; and

the load growth curve for the machine based on the type of material loaded and the manner in which the machine is loaded.

22. The machine of claim 21, wherein the at least one power source includes an engine adjacent the front of the machine and an engine adjacent the rear of the machine, further including,

a ground engaging tool associated with the payload carrier;

an apron associated with the payload carrier, configured to move between a position operable to maintain material within the payload carrier, and a position permitting loading of material into or dumping of material from the payload carrier;

an ejector associated with the payload carrier, configured to assist dumping of material from the payload carrier;

a bail associated with the front of the machine, configured to engage another machine; and

a push block associated with the rear of the machine, including a hook mechanism configured to be engaged by a bail of another machine.