Dump cycle counting and monitoring system

• US 7,894,961 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Todd, Robert, Tansley, Roger, Blackburn, Mark Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US10/986,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20060104404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/30, 701/35, 701/50, 701/200, 701/213, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 377/27, 377/28, 377/31, 180/271, 180/290
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A dump cycle counting system is provided for a work machine. The system may include a payload carrier configured to contain a payload of material and a dump actuator configured to effectuate dumping of the payload out of the payload carrier. The system may also include a controller configured to control actuation of the dump actuator and a dump control device operatively coupled to the controller. The system may further include a load counter configured to record at least one dump cycle based on a command state of at least one of the dump control device and the controller.

Claims

1. A dump cycle counting system for a machine, comprising:

a payload carrier configured to contain a payload of material;

a dump actuator configured to effectuate dumping of the payload out of the payload carrier;

a controller configured to control actuation of the dump actuator; and

a load counter configured to record at least one dump cycle based on a command state of the controller;

wherein the command state of the controller corresponds to a memory value associated with the controller, wherein the load counter is configured to record one dump cycle only after the command state corresponds to a dump state for a period greater than or equal to a predetermined amount of time greater than zero.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a display configured to display a dump cycle count.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the display is configured to display at least one of time, distance, and fuel consumption associated with a dump cycle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than a total time required to completely dump the payload.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the load counter is enabled to record at least one dump cycle upon the machine reaching a predetermined ground speed greater than zero.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the load counter is enabled to record at least one dump cycle based on a change in location of the machine as determined by a positioning system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the positioning system includes at least one global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the dump actuator is configured to effectuate dumping of the payload by lifting the payload carrier at an angle relative to a frame of the machine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the dump actuator is configured to effectuate dumping of the payload by moving an ejector plate to push payload material out of the payload carrier.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the load counter is configured to record additional operational information about at least one dump cycle, the information including at least one of time, distance traveled, and fuel consumption.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein recorded information related to dump cycles is configured to be provided to an entity external to the machine.

38. The system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined amount of time is about one quarter to one half of the total time required to completely dump the payload.

12. A machine, comprising:

a power source;

one or more traction devices;

a payload carrier configured to contain a payload of material;

a dump actuator configured to effectuate dumping of the payload out of the payload carrier;

a controller configured to control actuation of the dump actuator; and

a load counter configured to record at least one dump cycle based on a command state of the controller, the load counter further being enabled to record the at least one dump cycle once the work machine has exceeded a predetermined ground speed greater than zero, and the command state has remained, for at least a predetermined amount of time greater than zero, a state corresponding to a dump state.

13. The machine of claim 12, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than a total time required to completely dump a payload of known quantity.

14. The machine of claim 12, further including a display configured to display a dump cycle count.

40. The machine of claim 12, wherein the load counter is enabled to record the one dump cycle independent of a number of times the dump actuator is actuated.

15. A computer readable medium, comprising:

instructions for

monitoring a command state of at least one of a dump control device and a controller operatively coupled to a dump actuator of a machine, the dump actuator being configured to effectuate dumping of a payload of material out of a payload carrier of a machine;

enabling a load counter, upon the machine exceeding a predetermined ground speed greater than zero, to record at least one dump cycle; and

recording at least one dump cycle based on the monitored command state.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the command state of the dump control device corresponds to at least one of a position of the dump control device and a signal generated by the dump control device.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the controller includes a hydro-mechanical control system and the command state of the controller corresponds to an operating parameter of the hydro-mechanical control system.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further including instructions for recording the at least one dump cycle in response to the command state corresponding to a dump state for at least a predetermined period of time.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further including instructions for enabling a load counter to record at least one dump cycle based on a change in location of the machine as determined by a positioning system.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further including instructions for recording and or displaying additional operational information about at least one dump cycle, the information including at least one of time, distance traveled, and fuel consumption.

21. A dump cycle counting system for a machine, the machine including a payload carrier configured to contain a payload of material, a dump actuator configured to effectuate dumping of the payload out of the payload carrier, and a controller configured to control actuation of the dump actuator, wherein the counting system, comprises:

a load counter configured to record at least one dump cycle based on a command state of the controller, wherein the command state of the controller corresponds to a memory value associated with the controller, wherein the load counter is configured to record one dump cycle only after the command state corresponds to a dump state for a period greater than or equal to a predetermined amount of time greater than zero.

22. The system of claim 21, further including a display configured to display a dump cycle count, wherein the display is configured to display at least one of time, distance, and fuel consumption associated with a dump cycle.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than a total time required to completely dump the payload.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the load counter is enabled to record at least one dump cycle upon the machine reaching a predetermined ground speed greater than zero.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the load counter is enabled to record at least one dump cycle based on a change in location of the machine as determined by a positioning system.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the positioning system includes at least one global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the load counter is configured to record additional operational information about at least one dump cycle, the information including at least one of time, distance traveled, and fuel consumption.

28. A dump cycle counting system for a machine, the machine including a payload carrier configured to contain a payload of material, a dump actuator configured to effectuate dumping of the payload out of the payload carrier, a controller configured to control actuation of the dump actuator, and a dump control device operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the counting system, comprises:

a load counter configured to record at least one dump cycle based on a command state of at least one of the dump control device and the controller, wherein the load counter is enabled to record the at least one dump cycle once the machine has exceeded a predetermined ground speed greater than zero.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the command state of the dump control device corresponds to at least one of a position of the dump control device and a signal generated by the dump control device.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the command state of the controller corresponds to a memory value associated with the controller.

31. The system of claim 28, further including a display configured to display a dump cycle count, wherein the display is configured to display at least one of time, distance, and fuel consumption associated with a dump cycle.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the load counter is configured to record one dump cycle only after the command state corresponds to a dump state for a period greater than or equal to a predetermined amount of time greater than zero.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than a total time required to completely dump the payload.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the load counter is configured to record additional operational information about at least one dump cycle, the information including at least one of time, distance traveled, and fuel consumption.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the condition of ground speed exceeding the predetermined ground speed is satisfied if the load counting system determines that the machine is in a transmission gear above a predetermined gear.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein the condition of ground speed exceeding the predetermined ground speed is satisfied if the load counting system determines that a rotational speed of one or more components of a transmission of the machine is above a predetermined speed greater than zero.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein the condition of ground speed exceeding the predetermined ground speed is satisfied if the load counting system determines that a wheels speed of the machine is above a predetermined speed.

39. The system of claim 28, wherein the load counter is enabled to record the at least one dump cycle once the machine has exceeded a predetermined ground speed greater than zero independent of a position of the dump actuator.