CONTROLLING A DIGGING OPERATION OF AN INDUSTRIAL MACHINE

• US 20130131936A1
• Filed: 01/15/2013
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Surface Mining Inc. (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harnischfeger Technologies Inc. (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Inventors: Colwell, Joseph, Hren, William, Wendt, David, Linstroth, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/304 with the dipper-arm slidably mounted on the boom E02F3/305 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/308 working outwardly
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/352 Buckets movable along a fixed guide
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/43 Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/431 for bucket-arms, front-end loaders, dumpers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/432 for keeping the bucket in a predetermined position or attitude
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/435 for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/46 with reciprocating digging or scraping elements moved by cables or hoisting ropes ; Drives or control devices therefor E02F3/205, E02F3/905 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/025 with scraper-buckets, dippers or shovels
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2025 Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)

Abstract

Systems, methods, devices, and computer readable media for controlling a digging operation of an industrial machine that includes a dipper and a crowd drive. A method includes determining an acceleration associated with the industrial machine, determining a crowd retract factor based on the acceleration, comparing the crowd retract factor to a threshold crowd retract factor, setting a crowd speed reference and a crowd retract torque for the crowd drive for a period of time based on the comparison of the crowd retract factor to the threshold crowd retract factor.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. An industrial machine comprising:

a dipper;

a crowd motor drive configured to provide one or more control signals to a crowd motor, the crowd motor being operable to provide a force to the dipper to move the dipper toward or away from a bank; and

a controller connected to the crowd motor drive, the controller configured to

determine an impact of the dipper,

determine a crowd retract factor based on the impact of the dipper,

compare the crowd retract factor to a threshold crowd retract factor, and

set a parameter for the crowd motor drive based on the comparison of the crowd retract factor to the threshold crowd retract factor.

3. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to set a parameter for the crowd motor drive outside of a normal operating range for the crowd motor drive.

4. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine the impact of the dipper by determining an acceleration associated with the dipper.

5. The industrial machine of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine the crowd retract factor based on the impact by determining a crowd retract factor based on the acceleration.

6. The industrial machine of claim 4, wherein the acceleration associated with the dipper is a negative acceleration.

7. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to

determine an angle of a dipper handle, and

compare the angle of the dipper handle to one or more dipper handle angle limits.

8. The industrial machine of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter by setting a crowd speed reference for the crowd motor drive based on the comparison of the crowd retract factor to the threshold crowd retract factor and based on the comparison of the angle of the dipper handle to one or more dipper handle angle limits.

9. The industrial machine of claim 7, wherein the one or more dipper handle angle limits are between approximately zero degrees and approximately ninety degrees with respect to a horizontal position of the dipper handle.

10. The industrial machine of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to set a crowd retract torque for the crowd motor drive based on the comparison of the angle of the dipper handle to one or more dipper handle angle limits and based on the comparison of the crowd retract factor to the threshold crowd retract factor.

11. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter by setting a crowd speed reference for the crowd motor drive.

12. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter by setting a crowd motor torque for the crowd motor drive.

13. The industrial machine of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter by setting a crowd retract torque for the crowd motor drive.

14. The industrial machine of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd retract torque to a value greater than a standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

15. The industrial machine of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd retract torque to a value of less than approximately 400% of the standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

16. The industrial machine of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd retract torque to approximately 150% of the standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

17. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to

determine a crowd motor torque, and

compare the crowd motor torque to one or more crowd motor torque limits.

18. The industrial machine of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter based on the comparison of the crowd motor torque to the one or more crowd motor torque limits.

19. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the industrial machine includes an AC industrial machine.

20. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the industrial machine includes a DC industrial machine.

21. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the industrial machine includes a rope shovel.

22. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the industrial machine includes a power shovel.

23. The industrial machine of claim 2, wherein the impact creates a tipping moment on the industrial machine.

24. A method of controlling a digging operation of an industrial machine, the industrial machine including a dipper and a crowd motor drive, the method comprising:

determining an impact of the dipper;

determining a crowding factor based on the impact of the dipper;

comparing the crowding factor to a threshold crowding factor; and

setting, using a controller, a parameter for the crowd motor drive based on the comparison of the crowding factor to the threshold crowding factor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein setting a parameter includes a setting a parameter outside of a normal operating range for the crowd motor drive.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein determining an impact of the dipper includes determining an acceleration associated with the dipper.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein determining a crowding factor based on the impact includes determining a crowding factor based on the acceleration.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the acceleration associated with the dipper is a negative acceleration.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

determining an angle of a dipper handle; and

comparing the angle of the dipper handle to one or more dipper handle angle limits.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein setting a parameter includes setting a crowd speed reference for the crowd motor drive based on the comparison of the crowding factor to the threshold crowding factor and based on the comparison of the angle of the dipper handle to one or more dipper handle angle limits.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the one or more dipper handle angle limits are between approximately zero degrees and approximately ninety degrees with respect to a horizontal position of the dipper handle.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising setting a crowd motor torque for the crowd motor drive based on the comparison of the angle of the dipper handle to one or more dipper handle angle limits and based on the comparison of the crowding factor to the threshold crowding factor.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein setting a parameter includes setting a crowd speed reference for the crowd motor drive.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein setting a parameter includes setting a crowd motor torque for the crowd motor drive.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein setting a crowd motor torque includes setting a crowd retract torque for the crowd motor drive.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein setting a crowd retract torque includes setting a crowd retract torque to a value greater than a standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein setting a crowd retract torque includes setting a crowd retract torque to a value of less than approximately 400% of the standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein setting a crowd retract torque includes setting a crowd retract torque to approximately 150% of the standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

39. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

determining a crowd motor torque; and

comparing the crowd motor torque to one or more crowd motor torque limits.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein setting a parameter includes setting a parameter further based on the comparison of the crowd motor torque to the one or more crowd motor torque limits.

41. The method of claim 24, wherein the industrial machine includes an AC industrial machine.

42. The method of claim 24, wherein the industrial machine includes a DC industrial machine.

43. The method of claim 24, wherein the industrial machine includes a rope shovel.

44. The method of claim 24, wherein the industrial machine includes a power shovel.

45. The method of claim 24, wherein the impact of the dipper creates a tipping moment on the industrial machine.