VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM WITH TRACK TEMPERATURE SENSING

• US 20170177011A1
• Filed: 09/14/2016
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Willett, Janet R., Garvin, Daniel, McKinley, Ronica L., Rangan, Narasimhan, Upchurch, Bruce L., Lheureux, Jeremy P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,989,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2031/0091 Speed limiters or speed cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/152 Tractors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/158 Harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/17 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/44 Tracked vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/20 Resistance type, e.g. potentiometer as level indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/40 Photo, light or radio wave sensitive means, e.g. infrared sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/103 Speed profile
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/222 Harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/02 with tracks and additional ground wheels for multi-purpose tractors B62D49/0635
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/0655 Articulated endless track vehicles steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00; articulated buses B62D47/025; tractor-trailer combinations or road trains comprising a uni-axle unit and a uni-axle trailer B62D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/08 Endless track units; Parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/10 Bogies; Frames track-tensioning means B62D55/30
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/24 of continuously flexible type, e.g. rubber belts
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/244 Moulded in one piece, with either smooth surfaces or surfaces having projections, e.g. incorporating reinforcing elements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/32 Assembly, disassembly, repair or servicing of endless-track systems
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/02 Travelling-gear, e.g. associated with slewing gears drives therefor E02F9/20; for motor vehicles B60B, B60G; undercarriages for locomotives or railroad cars B61F; track-laying vehicles B62D; for cranes B66C23/18
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/268 : with failure correction follow-up actions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 13/66 : Governor units providing for co-operation with control dependent upon a variable other than speed

Abstract

A vehicle, method, and track control system for sensing the temperature of a track and controlling the vehicle'"'"'s speed based on the temperature of the track. The track temperature may be sensed by a sensor embedded in a portion of the track, such as in a drive lug, a tread bar, or portion of the carcass. The temperature of the track may also be used to alert an operator of a track temperature issue or request that the operator reduce the speed of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A work vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a drive train driven by the engine;

a track system including at least one track, the track system connected to the drive train;

a temperature sensor configured to sense a track temperature of the at least one track; and

a vehicle control system configured to receive the track temperature and configured to control the speed of the tractor based on the track temperature.

2. The work vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an operator alerting apparatus for alerting an operator of a speed condition or a track condition.

3. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system is configured to restrict the speed of the tractor based on the track temperature.

4. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system limits the speed of the tractor.

5. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one track comprises a carcass, a plurality of treads, and a plurality of lugs, and wherein the temperature sensor is positioned at least partially within at least one of a group comprising at least one of the plurality of lugs, at least one of the plurality of treads, and the carcass.

6. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is a non-contact sensor that is substantially free of contact with the at least one track.

7. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned in a portion of the drive train that is in contact with the at least one track or is positioned in a portion of the track system that is in contact with the at least one track.

8. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system is configured to restrict the speed of the tractor below a maximum speed of the vehicle when the track temperature is approaching a maximum temperature of the at least one track.

9. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to wirelessly transmit the track temperature to a receiver, and wherein the receiver is communicatively connected to the tractor control system.

10. The work vehicle of claim 9, wherein the receiver is wirelessly connected to the tractor control system.

11. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the track system includes two tracks or four tracks, and wherein each of the tracks includes at least one temperature sensor.

12. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one tracks includes a plurality of temperature sensors.

13. The work vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a load sensor for sensing a vehicle load, wherein the vehicle control system is configured to restrict the speed of the tractor based on the track temperature and on the vehicle load.

21. The work vehicle of claim 1 wherein the work vehicle is configured as a tractor.

22. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the work vehicle is configured as an agricultural combine.

14. A method for controlling a work vehicle including at least one track, wherein the work vehicle is capable of traveling at a maximum speed, the method comprising:

monitoring a track temperature of the at least one track; and

restricting the speed of the work vehicle to a restricted speed based on the track temperature, wherein the restricted speed is less than the maximum speed.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining if the track temperature is approaching a failure limit based on the track temperature and restricting the speed of the work vehicle based on the determination.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing an alert to an operator of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining that the at least one track is misaligned; and

providing an alert to an operator of the vehicle that the at least one track is misaligned.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

removing the speed restriction when the track temperature decreases.

19. A vehicle control system configured to perform the method of claim 14.

20. A track system comprising:

a track;

a track temperature sensor configured to sense a track temperature of the track; and

a controller connected to the track temperature sensor, wherein the controller is configured to restrict a speed of a tractor based on the track temperature.