Controller for a compacting vehicle wetting system

• US 6,827,524 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Starry, Dale W. Jr., Yates, Steve Kunkel, Gasper, Kenneth E., Fluent, Chad L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US10/205,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20040018053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 404/129, 404/122, 404/124, 239/1, 239/71
• US Class Current: 404/129
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/238 Wetting, cleaning or heating rolling elements, e.g. oiling, wiping, scraping

Abstract

A controller is for a vehicle wetting system including a fluid supply and a delivery line having an inlet connected with the supply and an outlet located to direct fluid onto a compacting drum. The controller includes a regulator configured to adjust a fluid flow rate through the outlet. A speed sensor connected with the vehicle senses vehicle speed. Further, a logic circuit connected with the sensor and the regulator automatically operates the regulator such that the regulator adjusts the flow rate to be generally proportional to the vehicle speed. Alternatively, the logic circuit permits flow through the outlet for a predetermined drum displacement and alternately interrupts flow for a predetermined period of time. The regulator is either a shunt line and a valve adjusting flow through the shunt line to adjust flow through the outlet or a pump regulator controlling flow from a pump in the delivery line.

Claims

1. A control system for a wetting system for applying fluid onto a drum of a compacting vehicle, the wetting system including a fluid supply and a fluid delivery line having an inlet fluidly connected with the fluid supply and an outlet located so as to direct fluid onto the drum, the control system comprising:

a regulator configured to adjust a rate of fluid flow through the outlet;

a speed sensor connected with the vehicle and configured to sense vehicle travel speed; and

a logic circuit operatively connected with the speed sensor and with the regulator and configured to automatically operate the regulator when vehicle speed changes such that the regulator adjusts the flow rate through the outlet to be generally proportional to the sensed vehicle speed;

wherein the logic circuit is configured to operate the regulator such that the regulator substantially interrupts and prevents fluid flow through the outlet when the sensed vehicle speed remains at a value of about zero for at least a predetermined interval of time, and the regulator initiates fluid flow through the outlet when sensed vehicle speed changes from a value of about zero to a value other than about zero.

2. The control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the regulator is configured to increase the fluid flow rate through the outlet when the sensed vehicle speed increases and to alternatively decrease the fluid flow rate through the outlet when the sensed vehicle speed decreases.

3. The control system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the wetting system has a plurality of the fluid lines, each fluid line having a separate outlet; and

the control system includes a plurality of the regulators, each regulator being operatively connected with a separate one of the fluid lines so as to adjust the flow rate through the connected fluid line, the logic circuit being configured to operate each of the regulators separately and independently of the other regulators.

4. The control system as recited in claim 1 wherein the regulator includes a shunt fluid line fluidly connected with the fluid delivery line and a valve operably connected with the logic circuit, fluidly connected with the shunt line and configured to adjust fluid flow through the shunt line so as to adjust the flow rate through the delivery line outlet.

5. The control system as recited in claim 4 wherein the logic circuit is configured to adjust the valve to increase fluid flow through the shunt line when sensed vehicle speed decreases so as to decrease the flow rate through the delivery line outlet and to alternatively adjust the valve to decrease fluid flow through the shunt line when sensed vehicle speed increases so as to increase the flow rate through the delivery line outlet.

6. The control system as recited in claim 4 wherein the valve is a solenoid actuated control valve electrically connected with the logic circuit.

7. The control system as recited in claim 4 wherein the valve is adjustable between a first limit position at which substantially all flow from the fluid supply flows through the shunt line and a second limit position at which substantially all flow from the fluid supply flows through the delivery line outlet.

8. The control system as recited in claim 7 wherein the valve is adjustable to a plurality of intermediate positions between the first and second limit positions, each intermediate valve position causing the flow rate through the outlet to have a separate value different than the value of the flow rate caused by each other valve position.

9. The control system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the wetting system further includes a pump connected with the fluid delivery line and configured to establish fluid flow at a variable flow rate through a portion of the fluid line extending between the pump and the outlet; and

the regulator is configured to adjust the pump such that the rate of fluid flow from the pump is generally proportional to sensed vehicle speed.

10. The control system as recited in claim 9 wherein the pump includes a variable-speed electric motor and the regulator is electrically connected with the motor and is configured to adjust motor speed so as to adjust the rate of fluid flow from the pump.

11. The control system as recited in claim 9 wherein the regulator is one of a voltage regulator and a current regulator electrically connected with the logic circuit.

12. The control system as recited in claim 9 wherein the pump includes a variable-speed hydraulic motor and the regulator is a valve fluidly connected with the motor and configured to adjust motor speed so as to adjust the rate of fluid flow from the pump.

13. The control system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the speed sensor is configured to generate electric signals corresponding to sensed vehicle speed and the regulator is configured to be responsively operable by electric control signals; and

the logic circuit is a microprocessor having at least one input channel electrically connected with the speed sensor, at least one output channel electrically connected with the regulator and a programmable memory circuit configured to analyze an input signal from the speed sensor and to generate and transmit an output control signal to the regulator such that the regulator adjusts the flow rate through the outlet according to sensed vehicle speed.

14. The control system as recited in claim 13 wherein:

the fluid applying system has a plurality of the fluid lines, each fluid line having a separate outlet; and

the control system includes a plurality of the regulators, each regulator being operatively connected with a separate one of the fluid lines so as to adjust the flow rate through the connected fluid line; and

the microprocessor has a plurality of output channels each connected with a separate one of the regulators, the memory circuit being programmed to separately operate the regulators to separately and independently adjust flow through each of the fluid line outlets.

15. A control system for a wetting system for applying fluid onto a drum of a compacting vehicle, the wetting system including a fluid supply and a fluid delivery line having an inlet fluidly connected with the fluid supply and an outlet located so as to direct fluid onto the drum, the control system comprising:

a regulator configured to adjust fluid flow through the outlet;

a sensor configured to sense rotation of the drum; and

a logic circuit operatively connected with the sensor and with the regulator and configured to operate the regulator such that fluid flow through the outlet is permitted for one of a predetermined displacement of the drum and a predetermined period of time and alternately interrupted for one of a predetermined period of time and a predetermined displacement of the drum.

16. The control system as recited in claim 15 wherein the regulator is configured to substantially prevent fluid flow through the outlet during the predetermined time period of fluid interruption.

17. The control system as recited in claim 15 wherein the regulator includes a shunt fluid line fluidly connected with the fluid delivery line and a valve configured to adjust fluid flow through the shunt line so as to inversely adjust fluid flow through the outlet.

18. The control system as recited in claim 17 wherein the valve is adjustable between a first limit position at which substantially all flow from the fluid supply flows through the shunt line and a second limit position at which substantially all flow from the fluid supply flows through the delivery line outlet.

19. The control system as recited in claim 15 wherein the logic circuit is an electrical circuit and the regulator is electrically connected with the logic circuit.

20. The control system as recited in claim 15 wherein:

the sensor is configured to send electrical position signals to the logic circuit, the position signals corresponding to a rotational position of the drum;

the logic circuit is a microprocessor configured to receive the position signals and to generate and transmit control signals to the regulator; and

the regulator is an electromechanical valve configured to receive the control signals and to adjust flow through the outlet in response to the control signal.

21. A control system for a wetting system for applying fluid onto a drum of a compacting vehicle, the wetting system including a fluid supply and a fluid delivery line having an inlet fluidly connected with the fluid supply and an outlet located so as to direct fluid onto the drum, the control system comprising:

a regulator configured to adjust fluid flow through the outlet;

a sensor configured to sense rotation of the drum; and

a logic circuit operatively connected with the sensor and with the regulator and configured to selectively operate the regulator in a first operational mode wherein the regulator maintains a rate of flow through the delivery line outlet to be generally proportional to vehicle speed and alternatively in a second operational mode wherein fluid flow through the outlet is permitted for a predetermined displacement of the drum and alternately interrupted for a predetermined period of time.