Method and apparatus for calculating work cycle times
First Claim
1. A method for determining the segments of a work cycle of an wheel loader, said wheel loader having a transmission, a work implement, a lift cylinder connected to said work implement, and a tilt cylinder connected to said work implement, the lift and tilt cylinders each having a rod end and a head end, comprising the steps of:
- determining a current segment of the work cycle;
determining one of a lift cylinder head end pressure, a lift cylinder displacement, and a tilt cylinder displacement in response to said current segment;
determining a direction of travel of said earth moving machine; and
,determining a beginning of a next segment of said work cycle in response to said direction of travel, said current segment, and said one of said tilt cylinder displacement, said lift cylinder displacement, and said lift cylinder head end pressure, and wherein said work cycle includes a dig segment, a travel loaded segment, a dump segment, and a travel empty segment.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one aspect of the present invention, a method for determining the work cycle of an earth moving machine is disclosed. The machine has a transmission, a work implement, and a lift cylinder and a tilt cylinder connected to the work implement. The method includes the steps of determining a lift cylinder head end pressure, a displacement of the lift cylinder, a displacement of the tilt cylinder, and a direction of travel of the machine. The method further includes determining the work cycle of the machine in response to the displacement of the tilt and lift cylinders, and the lift cylinder head end pressure.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for determining the segments of a work cycle of an wheel loader, said wheel loader having a transmission, a work implement, a lift cylinder connected to said work implement, and a tilt cylinder connected to said work implement, the lift and tilt cylinders each having a rod end and a head end, comprising the steps of:
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determining a current segment of the work cycle; determining one of a lift cylinder head end pressure, a lift cylinder displacement, and a tilt cylinder displacement in response to said current segment; determining a direction of travel of said earth moving machine; and
,determining a beginning of a next segment of said work cycle in response to said direction of travel, said current segment, and said one of said tilt cylinder displacement, said lift cylinder displacement, and said lift cylinder head end pressure, and wherein said work cycle includes a dig segment, a travel loaded segment, a dump segment, and a travel empty segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for determining the segments of a work cycle of an wheel loader, said wheel loader having a transmission, a work implement, a lift cylinder connected to said work implement, and a tilt cylinder connected to said work implement, the lift and tilt cylinders each having a rod end and a head end, comprising:
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a first lift cylinder sensing means for sensing a lift cylinder head end pressure and responsively producing a lift cylinder pressure signal; a second lift cylinder sensing means for sensing a displacement of said lift cylinder and responsively producing a lift cylinder displacement signal; a tilt cylinder sensing means for sensing a displacement of said tilt cylinder and responsively producing a tilt cylinder displacement signal; a direction sensing means for sensing a direction of travel of said earth moving machine and responsively generating a direction signal; and
,a processing means for receiving said lift cylinder pressure signal, said lift cylinder displacement signal, said tilt cylinder displacement signal, and said direction signal, determining a current segment of the work cycle, and responsively determining a next segment of said work cycle in response to said direction of travel signal, said tilt cylinder displacement signal, said lift cylinder displacement signal, said lift cylinder head end pressure signal, and said current segment of said work cycle, wherein said work cycle includes a dig segment, a travel loaded segment, a dump segment, and a travel empty segment. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for determining the segments of a work cycle of an wheel loader, said wheel loader having a transmission, a work implement, a lift cylinder connected to said work implement, and a tilt cylinder connected to said work implement, the lift and tilt cylinders each having a rod end and a head end, comprising:
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a first lift cylinder sensor adapted to sense a lift cylinder head end pressure and responsively produce a lift cylinder pressure signal; a second lift cylinder sensor adapted to sense a displacement of said lift cylinder and responsively produce a lift cylinder displacement signal; a tilt cylinder sensor adapted to sense a displacement of said tilt cylinder and responsively produce a tilt cylinder displacement signal; a direction sensor adapted to sense a direction of travel of said earth moving machine and responsively generate a direction signal; and
,a process system adapted to receive said lift cylinder pressure signal, said lift cylinder displacement signal, said tilt cylinder displacement signal, and said direction signal, determine a current segment of the work cycle, and responsively determine a next segment of said work cycle in response to said direction of travel signal, said tilt cylinder displacement signal, said lift cylinder displacement signal, said lift cylinder head end pressure signal, and said current segment of said work cycle, wherein said work cycle includes a dig segment, a travel loaded segment, a dump segment, and a travel empty segment.
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Specification