High low engine speed cruise control

• US 7,472,684 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH America Llc (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Milender, Jeff, McKee, Kevin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SOLIS, ERICK R
• Application Number:
  US11/985,175
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 123/349, 123/350, 123/352
• US Class Current: 123/352
• 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: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/003 for idle speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/083 taking into account engine load variation, e.g. air-conditionning

Abstract

A high low cruise control system for a work machine that allows the operator to set and adjust an upper engine speed limit in an upper limit mode or a lower engine speed limit in a lower limit mode and return to these set points easily. Without exiting the cruise control mode, the operator may decrease engine speed while in the upper limit mode, or increase engine speed while in the lower limit mode.

Claims

1. A high low cruise control system for controlling an engine speed of a work machine, comprising:

a first input positionable by an operator at a selected position within a range of positions for selecting a corresponding engine speed within a range of engine speeds;

a second input operable by the operator for initiating or adjusting operation of a first mode or a second mode;

a third input operable by the operator to disable the first mode or the second mode; and

a controller operable for receiving the first input, the second input, the third input, and information representative of the engine speed of the work machine, and outputting a signal representative of an engine speed command;

the controller being operable in response to operation of the second input with a first command to initiate operation of the controller in the first mode for setting a first mode engine speed limit based on a first selected position of the first input, and thereafter being operable for adjusting the first mode engine speed limit based solely on operation of the second input in at least one predetermined manner and independent of the position of the first input and the engine speed, and for determining the engine speed command based on comparison of the first mode engine speed limit and the engine speed corresponding to the position of the first input at that time;

the controller being operable in response to operation of the second input with a second command to initiate operation of the controller in the second mode for setting a second mode engine speed limit based on a second selected position of the first input, and thereafter being operable for adjusting the second mode engine speed limit based solely on operation of the second input in at least one predetermined manner and independent of the position of the first input and the engine speed, and for determining the engine speed command based on comparison of the second mode engine speed limit and the engine speed corresponding to the position of the first input at that time; and

the controller being operable in absence of the first mode and the second mode for determining the engine speed command based on the engine speed corresponding to the position of the first input at that time.

2. The high low cruise control system of claim 1 wherein the controller is operable in the first mode to limit the engine speed command to an upper limit, and in the second mode to limit the engine speed command to a lower limit.

3. The high low cruise control system of claim 1 wherein the first input is a throttle control.

4. The high low cruise control system of claim 1 wherein the second input is a three position switch, and operation of the second input with the first command comprises movement of the switch to a first position, and operation of the second input with the second command comprises movement of the switch to a second position.

5. The high low cruise control system of claim 1, the controller being further operable upon operation of the second input by the operator with the first command,

when operating in absence of either the first mode or the second mode, to initiate the first mode, or

when operating in the first mode, to incrementally increase the first mode engine speed limit, or

when operating in the second mode, to incrementally increase the second mode engine speed limit, or

upon operation of the second input by the operator with the second command,

when operating in absence of either the first mode or the second mode, to initiate the second mode, or

when operating in the first mode, to incrementally decrease the first mode engine speed limit, or

when operating in the second mode, to incrementally decrease the second mode engine speed limit.

6. The high low cruise control system of claim 1 wherein the third input is a clutch.

7. The high low cruise control system of claim 1 further comprising an input that can be operated to command the work machine engine speed to operate outside the first mode engine speed limit or the second mode engine speed limit.

8. A high low cruise control system for controlling engine speed of a work machine, comprising:

a throttle positionable at a selectable position within a range of positions for selecting a corresponding engine speed within a range of engine speeds;

an input device operable by an operator for initiating a maximum engine speed throttle command or a minimum engine speed throttle command based on the selected position of the throttle at that time, and thereafter the maximum engine speed throttle command or the minimum engine speed throttle command being incrementally adjustable by operation solely of the input device in at least one predetermined manner and regardless of the position of the throttle and the engine speed; and

a controller operable for comparing the engine speed corresponding to the selected throttle position to the maximum engine speed throttle command or the minimum engine speed throttle command, and

outputting an engine speed throttle command equal to the engine speed corresponding to the throttle position when the engine speed corresponding to the throttle position is less than the maximum engine speed throttle command or is greater than the minimum engine speed throttle command,

equal to the maximum engine speed throttle command when the engine speed corresponding to the throttle position is greater than or equal to the maximum engine speed throttle command, or

equal to the minimum engine speed throttle command when the engine speed corresponding to the throttle position is less than or equal to the minimum engine speed throttle command.

9. The engine speed control system of claim 8, further comprising an operator disengage, wherein upon selection of the operator disengage, the engine speed throttle command is based on the engine speed associated with the selected throttle position.

10. The engine speed control system of claim 8, further comprising an accelerator pedal, wherein depression of the accelerator pedal allows operation of the work machine above the maximum engine speed throttle command.

11. The engine speed control system of claim 8, further comprising a decelerator pedal, wherein depression of the decelerator pedal allows operation of the work machine below the minimum engine speed throttle command.

12. A method for controlling an engine speed of a work machine, comprising the steps of:

providing a first input positionable by an operator at a selected position within a range of positions for selecting a corresponding engine speed within a range of engine speeds;

providing a second input operable by the operator for initiating or adjusting operation of the system in a first mode or a second mode;

providing a third input operable by the operator to disable the first mode or the second mode; and

providing a controller operable for

receiving the first input, the second input, the third input, and information representative of the engine speed of the work machine, and outputting a signal representative of an engine speed command;

initiating the first mode and setting a first mode engine speed limit based on a first selected position of the first input in response to a first command of the second input, and thereafter adjusting the first mode engine speed limit based solely on operation of the second input in at least one predetermined manner and independent of the position of the first input and the engine speed, and determining the engine speed command based on comparison of the first mode engine speed limit and the engine speed corresponding to the position of the first input at that time;

initiating the second mode and setting a second mode engine speed limit based on a second selected position of the first input in response to a second command of the second input, and thereafter adjusting the second mode engine speed limit based solely on operation of the second input in at least one predetermined manner and independent of the position of the first input and the engine speed, and determining the engine speed command based on comparison of the second mode engine speed limit and the engine speed corresponding to the position of the first input at that time; and

in absence of the first mode and the second mode determining the engine speed command based on the engine speed corresponding to the position of the first input at that time.