Controlling a digging operation of an industrial machine

• US 8,825,317 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Surface Mining Inc. (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Harnischfeger Technologies Inc. (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Inventors: Colwell, Joseph, Hren, William, Wendt, David, Linstroth, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US14/065,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/304 with the dipper-arm slidably mounted on the boom E02F3/305 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/308 working outwardly
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/352 Buckets movable along a fixed guide
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/43 Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/431 for bucket-arms, front-end loaders, dumpers or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/432 for keeping the bucket in a predetermined position or attitude
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/435 for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/46 with reciprocating digging or scraping elements moved by cables or hoisting ropes ; Drives or control devices therefor E02F3/205, E02F3/905 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/025 with scraper-buckets, dippers or shovels
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2025 Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2029 Controlling the position of implements in function of its load, e.g. modifying the attitude of implements in accordance to vehicle speed control for hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2203, E02F9/2221 and E02F9/2253 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)

Abstract

Systems, methods, devices, and computer readable media for controlling a digging operation of an industrial machine that includes a dipper and a crowd drive. A method includes determining an acceleration associated with the industrial machine, determining a crowd retract factor based on the acceleration, comparing the crowd retract factor to a threshold crowd retract factor, setting a crowd speed reference and a crowd retract torque for the crowd drive for a period of time based on the comparison of the crowd retract factor to the threshold crowd retract factor.

Claims

1. An industrial machine comprising:

a dipper;

a crowd drive configured to provide one or more control signals to a crowd actuation device, the crowd actuation device being operable to provide a force to the dipper to move the dipper toward or away from a bank; and

a controller connected to the crowd drive, the controller configured to

monitor a characteristic of the industrial machine,

determine if a value of the monitored characteristic of the industrial machine is indicative of an impact event associated with the dipper, and

set a crowd drive parameter for the crowd actuation device based on the value of the monitored characteristic of the industrial machine when the value of the monitored characteristic of the industrial machine is indicative of the impact event, wherein the crowd drive parameter for the crowd actuation device is related to a crowd force in response to the impact event.

2. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter for the crowd drive outside of a normal operating range for the crowd drive.

3. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the monitored characteristic of the industrial machine is indicative of the impact event by determining an acceleration associated with the dipper.

4. The industrial machine of claim 3, wherein the acceleration associated with the dipper is a negative acceleration.

5. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the crowd actuation device is an electric motor.

6. The industrial machine of claim 5, wherein the crowd drive parameter is a torque produced by the electric motor.

7. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the impact event creates a tipping moment on the industrial machine.

8. The industrial machine of claim 7, wherein the monitored characteristic of the industrial machine is the tipping moment of the industrial machine.

9. The industrial machine of claim 8, wherein the crowd force in response to the impact event is a crowd force for limiting the tipping moment of the industrial machine.

10. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine an angle of a dipper handle.

11. The industrial machine of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd drive parameter by setting a crowd speed reference for the crowd drive based on the monitored characteristic and based on the angle of the dipper handle.

12. The industrial machine of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to compare the angle of the dipper handle to one or more dipper handle angle limits, the dipper handle angle limits between approximately zero degrees and approximately ninety degrees with respect to a horizontal position of the dipper handle.

13. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd drive parameter by setting a crowd speed reference for the crowd drive.

14. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd drive parameter by setting a crowd motor torque for the crowd drive.

15. The industrial machine of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd drive parameter by setting a crowd retract torque for the crowd drive.

16. The industrial machine of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd retract torque to a value greater than a standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

17. The industrial machine of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd retract torque to a value of less than approximately 400% of the standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

18. The industrial machine of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to set the crowd retract torque to approximately 150% of the standard operational value for crowd retract torque.

19. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the crowd actuation device is a hydraulic cylinder.

20. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the industrial machine includes an AC industrial machine.

21. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the industrial machine includes a DC industrial machine.

22. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the industrial machine includes a rope shovel.

23. The industrial machine of claim 1, wherein the industrial machine includes a power shovel.