Control system for a rotating machine

• US 9,454,147 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Brandt, Michael, Hamann, Robert, Rybski, Paul E., Smith, Mark M., Friend, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumbess, Yolanda
• Application Number:
  US14/851,892
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2045 Guiding machines along a predetermined path for graders E02F3/841; machines for construction of roads E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/262 with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/265 with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)

Abstract

A system for setting a dump height of a material engaging work implement above a dump body includes a rotatable implement system, an implement system pose sensor, and a bed height sensor. A controller determines an initial bed height, determines an initial dump height, generates a command based upon the pose of the work implement, and determines a subsequent dump height higher than the initial dump height. The controller is further configured to position the work implement at the subsequent dump height, determine a further subsequent dump height higher than the subsequent dump height, and position the work implement at the further subsequent dump height over the dump body.

Claims

1. A system for setting a dump height of a material engaging work implement above a dump body comprising:

a rotatable implement system at a work site having a linkage assembly including the work implement;

an implement system pose sensor for generating implement system pose signals indicative of a pose of the implement system including a pose of the work implement;

the dump body having a lower surface, the lower surface defining an initial bed height onto which material is dumped from the work implement;

a bed height sensor for generating bed height signals indicative of a bed height of the dump body; and

a controller configured to;

store a relative dump height;

determine the initial bed height based upon the bed height signals while the dump body is empty;

determine an initial dump height at which the work implement is to be positioned over the dump body based upon the initial bed height and the relative dump height;

generate a command based upon the pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the initial dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body;

determine a subsequent dump height, the subsequent dump height being higher than the initial dump height;

generate a command based upon the pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the subsequent dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body;

determine a further subsequent dump height with the further subsequent dump height being higher than the subsequent dump height; and

generate a command based upon the pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the further subsequent dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to continue to determine still further subsequent dump heights with each still further subsequent dump height being higher than an immediately preceding dump height, and generate a command to position the work implement at the still further subsequent dump height over the dump body and dump material.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to continue to determine the still further subsequent dump heights and dump material in the dump body until the dump body is full.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein controller is further configured to determine the subsequent dump height and the further subsequent dump height based upon a closed loop system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein controller is further configured to determine a subsequent bed height and a further subsequent bed height based upon the closed loop system, determine the subsequent dump height based upon the subsequent bed height, and determine the further subsequent dump height based upon the further subsequent bed height.

6. The system of claim 5, further including a mapping sensor, the mapping sensor being operative as the bed height sensor, and the controller is configured to determine the subsequent bed height and the further subsequent bed height based upon mapping signals from the mapping sensor.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the mapping sensor is positioned at the work implement.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein controller is further configured to determine the subsequent dump height by increasing the initial dump height by a first predetermined distance and determine the further subsequent dump height by increasing the subsequent dump height by a second predetermined distance.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance are generally identical.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance are different distances.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein controller is further configured to determine the subsequent dump height and the further subsequent dump height based upon an open loop system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein controller is further configured to determine a subsequent bed height and a further subsequent bed height based upon an open loop system, determine the subsequent dump height based upon the subsequent bed height, and determine the further subsequent dump height based upon the further subsequent bed height.

13. The system of claim 1, further including a pose sensor associated with the dump body for generating pose signals indicative of a position of the dump body, and the pose sensor is operative as the bed height sensor.

14. The system of claim 1, further including a rotatable base having a linkage assembly, the linkage assembly including a boom operatively connected to the rotatable base, a connecting member operatively connected to the boom, and the work implement.

15. The system of claim 14, further including a mapping sensor mounted on the rotatable base and operative as the bed height sensor.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to store an electronic map including the implement system, the dump body, and the work site in cylindrical coordinates.

17. A controller implemented method of setting a dump height of a material engaging work implement above a dump body, the method comprising:

providing the material engaging work implement, the work implement being operatively connected to a rotatable implement system having a linkage assembly;

providing the dump body, a lower surface of the dump body defining an initial bed height onto which material is dumped from the work implement;

storing a relative dump height;

determining the initial bed height based upon bed height signals from a bed height sensor while the dump body is empty;

determining an initial dump height at which the work implement is to be positioned over the dump body based upon the initial bed height and the relative dump height;

generating a command based upon a pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the initial dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body;

determining a subsequent dump height, the subsequent dump height being higher than the initial dump height;

generating a command based upon the pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the subsequent dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body;

determining a further subsequent dump height with the further subsequent dump height being higher than the subsequent dump height; and

generating a command based upon the pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the further subsequent dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body.

18. The method of claim 17, further including determining the subsequent dump height and the further subsequent dump height based upon a closed loop system.

19. The method of claim 17, further including determining the subsequent dump height and the further subsequent dump height based upon an open loop system.

20. A machine for use with a system for setting a dump height of a material engaging work implement, the system including a body having a lower surface, the lower surface defining an initial bed height onto which material is dumped from a work implement, and a bed height sensor associated with the dump body for generating bed height signals indicative of a bed height of the dump body, the machine comprising:

a rotatable base;

a linkage assembly, the linkage assembly including a boom operatively connected to the rotatable base, a connecting member operatively connected to the boom, and a material moving work implement operatively connected to the connecting member;

an implement system pose sensor for generating implement system pose signals indicative of a pose of the implement system including a pose of the work implement; and

a controller configured to;

store a relative dump height;

determine the initial bed height based upon the bed height signals while the dump body is empty;

determine an initial dump height at which the work implement is to be positioned over the dump body based upon the initial bed height and the relative dump height;

generate a command based upon the pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the initial dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body;

determine a subsequent dump height, the subsequent dump height being higher than the initial dump height;

generate a command based upon the pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the subsequent dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body;

determine a further subsequent dump height with the further subsequent dump height being higher than the subsequent dump height; and

generate a command based upon the pose of the work implement to position the work implement at the further subsequent dump height over the dump body and dump material into the dump body.