MACHINE POWER CONTROL WITH RATIO INCREASE

• US 20090223214A1
• Filed: 02/16/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Lange, Philip F., Drake, Benjamin D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,725,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/327
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/105 of electric type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/415 Wheel loaders
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2246 Control of prime movers, e.g. depending on the hydraulic load of work tools
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/225 Control of steering, e.g. for hydraulic motors driving the vehicle tracks steering in general B62D
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2253 Controlling the travelling speed of vehicles, e.g. adjusting travelling speed according to implement loads, control of hydrostatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A control system for a machine having a power source configured to provide power, a number of implements including a work implement, configured to provide operations, and a number of power transmitting paths configurable to selectively make power available to the implements to perform operations. The control system may include a control arrangement configured to regulate the power source to provide a first level of available power, to configure a first power transmitting path to make a percentage A1 of said first level of power available to provide a first operation, and to configure a second power transmitting path to make a percentage A2 of said first level of power available to provide a second operation, at least the second operation being a work operation. The control arrangement may further be configured to increase said first level of available power of said power source to a second level of available power, to configure the first power transmitting path to make a percentage B1 of said second level op power available to provide said first operation, and to configure the second power transmitting path to make a percentage B2 of said second level of power available to provide said second operation, such that the ratio B2/B1 is greater than the ratio A2/A1.

Claims

1. A control system for a machine having a power source configured to provide power, a number of implements including a work implement, configured to provide operations, and a number of power transmitting paths configurable to selectively make power available to the implements to perform operations, the control system including:

a control arrangement configured to;

regulate the power source to provide a first level of available power;

configure a first power transmitting path to make a percentage A1 of said first level of power available to provide a first operation;

configure a second power transmitting path to make a percentage A2 of said first level of power available to provide a second operation, at least the second operation being a work operation;

increase said first level of available power of said power source to a second level of available power;

configure the first power transmitting path to make a percentage B1 of said second level of available power available to provide said first operation, and

configure the second power transmitting path to make a percentage B2 of said second level of power available to provide said second operation, such that the ratio B2/B1 is greater than the ratio A2/A1.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control arrangement is further arranged to, upon increasing said level of available power, increase the power that is made available to actuate the work implement.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the control arrangement is further arranged to, upon increasing said level of available power, keep the power that is made available to at least one of the other implements substantially at the same level.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein said first level of available power corresponds to a high idle operating level of the power source.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the power transmitting path that makes power available to the work implement includes a device that regulates a flow of hydraulic fluid to the work implement.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein the power transmitting path that makes power available to the work implement branches available power off a hydraulic circuit that makes power available to other work implements.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the work implement is a boom and the other work implements include a traction device.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the power transmitting path that makes power available to the traction device receives power directly from the power source.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the control arrangement is configured to screen before increasing the level of available power of the power source for unwanted effect of the output increase on a current operation.

10. A method of controlling a machine comprising:

providing a first level of available power;

using a percentage A1 of said first level of available power to provide a first operation;

using a percentage A2 of said first level of available power to provide a second operation, at least the second operation being a work operation;

increasing said first level of available power to a second level of available power;

using a percentage B1 of said second level of available power to provide said first operation, and using a percentage B2 of said second level of available power to provide said second operation such that the ratio B2/B1 is greater than the ratio A2/A1.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein increasing the ratio A2/A1 to B2/B1 includes using more power to actuate the work implement.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein increasing the ratio A2/A1 to B2/B1 includes keeping the power that is used to provide at least one other operation substantially at the same level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the level of power that is generated is increased above a high idle operating level of the power source.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein increasing the ratio A2/A1 to B2/B1 includes increasing a flow of hydraulic fluid to the work implement.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein actuating the work implement includes lifting a boom, and performing other operations includes driving a traction device.

16. A machine, including:

a power source configured to provide power;

a number of implements including a work implement, configured to provide operations;

a number of power transmitting paths configurable to selectively make power available to the implements to perform operations;

a control system including a control arrangement configured to;

regulate the power source to provide a first level of available power;

configure a first power transmitting path to make a percentage A1 of said first level of power available to provide a first operation;

configure a second power transmitting path to make a percentage A2 of said first level of power available to provide a second operation, at least the second operation being a work operation;

increase said first level of available power of said power source to a second level of available power;

configure the first power transmitting path to make a percentage B1 of said second level of power available to provide said first operation and configure the second power transmitting path to make a percentage B2 of said second level of power available to provide said second operation, such that the ratio B2/B1 is greater than the ratio A2/A1.

17. The machine of claim 16, wherein the control arrangement is further arranged to, upon increasing said level of available power, increase the power that is made available to actuate the work implement.

18. The machine of claim 17, wherein the control arrangement is further arranged to, upon increasing said level of available power, keep the power that is made available to at least one of the other implements substantially at the same level.

19. The machine of claim 18, wherein the power transmitting path that makes power available to the work implement includes a device that regulates a flow of hydraulic fluid to the work implement.

20. The machine of claim 19, wherein the power transmitting path that makes power available to the work implement branches available power off a hydraulic circuit that makes power available to other work implements.