VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM WITH TRACK TEMPERATURE SENSING

• US 20180364744A1
• Filed: 06/04/2018
• Published: 12/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Garvin, Daniel, McKinley, Ronica L., Rangan, Narasimhan, Willett, Janet R., Upchurch, Bruce L., L'heureux, Jeremy P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,520,955 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 work vehicle may include an engine, a drive train driven by the engine, and a track system including at least one track. The track system is connected to the drive train. The work vehicle may further include 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 to determine misalignment of the at least one track based at least in part upon the sensed track temperature.

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 determine misalignment of the at least one track based at least in part upon the sensed 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 work vehicle based on the track temperature.

4. The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system limits the speed of the work vehicle based at least in part upon the sensed track temperature.

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 work vehicle 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 vehicle control system.

10. The work vehicle of claim 9, wherein the receiver is wirelessly connected to the vehicle 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 determine misalignment of the at least one track based on a combination of the track temperature and the vehicle load.

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

determining that the at least one track is misaligned based at least in part upon a monitored track temperature of the at least one track.

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 that the at least one track is misaligned.

17. 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 determine misalignment of the track based at least in part upon the track temperature.

19. The track system of claim 17, wherein the controller is to output a misalignment warning prior to restricting the speed of the work vehicle based upon the track temperature sensed by the track temperature sensor.

20. The track system of claim 17 further comprising a load sensor to sense a vehicle load, wherein the controller is to determine misalignment of the track based upon a combination of the track temperature and the vehicle load sensed by the load sensor.

18. The track system of claim 18, wherein the controller is to restrict a speed of the work vehicle based upon the track temperature sensed by the track temperature sensor.