SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A BRAKE SYSTEM

• US 20120330524A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Rahman, Mohammad, Behn, Mark, Gnagey, Aaron, Roal, James, Shively, Kirk, Smith, Cory
• Granted Patent: US 8,924,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/122 for locking of reverse movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/103 of fluid type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/182 including control of parking brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/186 Status of parking brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18036 Reversing
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/411 Bulldozers, Graders

Abstract

The disclosure describes, in one aspect, a control system for controlling a braking system. The control system includes a parking brake operatively to at least one wheel, a park brake override mechanism operatively associated with the parking brake, an inching pedal operatively coupled to a transmission, a shift lever operatively coupled to the transmission, at least one sensor operatively coupled to the parking brake, at least one sensor operatively coupled to the inching pedal, and at least one sensor operatively coupled to the shift lever. The control system further includes a controller operatively coupled to the at least one sensors to receive corresponding signals and adapted to control the engagement of the parking brake when the inching pedal is depressed and at least one of a forward or reverse gear selection is desired.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a braking system of a machine, the brake system including a parking brake, the method comprising:

determining an engagement of the parking brake;

determining a gear shift from a neutral gear to at least one of a forward gear or a reverse gear;

determining an engagement of an inching pedal; and

controlling a movement of the machine based on the engagement of the inching pedal and the engagement of the parking brake.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes actuating the at least one of a forward or a reverse gear selection and causing the machine to move accordingly.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes automatically releasing the parking brake.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the engagement of the inching pedal is a function of a percentage of depression of the inching pedal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes depressing the inching pedal at least one of equal to or more than a threshold percentage of depression.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes depressing the inching pedal more than a threshold percentage of depression.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes depressing the inching pedal 100 percentage of depression.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the movement of the machine is based on an engagement of a park brake override switch, wherein the parking brake is automatically released when engaging the override switch activates a parking brake override mode.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein controlling the movement of the machine is based on an aligned steering, wherein the at least one of a forward or a reverse gear selection is actuated when the steering is aligned.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the movement of the machine is based on an aligned steering and a released inching pedal, wherein the at least one of a forward or a reverse gear selection is actuated when the steering is aligned and the inching pedal is being released.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes allowing only up shifts of the one or a forward or a reverse gear selection.

12. A control system for controlling a braking system of a machine, the brake system including a parking brake, the control system comprising:

a position sensor operatively associated with an inching pedal, the position signal is adapted to provide a signal indicative of a position of the inching pedal;

a sensor operatively associated with a transmission;

a sensor operatively associated with the parking brake;

a controller operatively connected to the parking brake, the inching pedal position sensor, the transmission sensor, and the parking brake sensor, the controller configured to;

determine an engagement of the parking brake from the parking brake sensor;

determine a gear shift from a neutral gear to at least one of a forward gear or a reverse gear from the transmission sensor;

determine an engagement of an inching pedal from the inching pedal position sensor; and

control a movement of the machine based on the engagement of the inching pedal and the engagement of the parking brake.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes actuating the at least one of a forward or a reverse gear selection and causing the machine to move accordingly.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes automatically releasing the parking brake.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the engagement of the inching pedal is a function of a percentage of depression of the inching pedal.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes depressing the inching pedal at least one of equal to or more than a threshold percentage of depression.

17. The control system of claim 16, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes depressing the inching pedal more than a threshold percentage of depression.

18. The control system of claim 16, wherein controlling the movement of the machine includes depressing the inching pedal 100 percentage of depression.

19. A control system for controlling a braking system including a park brake operatively associated with at least one wheel, the control system comprising:

a park brake override mechanism operatively associated with the parking brake;

an inching pedal operatively coupled to a transmission;

a shift lever operatively coupled to the transmission;

at least one sensor operatively coupled to the inching pedal to detect a depression of the inching pedal;

at least one sensor operatively coupled to the shift lever for detecting at least one of a forward or reverse gear selection;

a controller operatively coupled to the at least one sensors to receive corresponding signals and adapted to;

control the engagement of the parking brake when the park brake override mechanism is activated, the inching pedal is depressed, and the at least one of the forward or reverse gear selections is desired.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein controlling the engagement of the parking brake is based on an aligned steering.