System and method for controlling the speed of a track-driven work vehicle based on monitored loads to avoid track overheating

• US 9,855,843 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2016
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Vik, Brian, Novacek, Jason, Krogen, Mark, Tveito, David, Stoltman, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US15/051,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20170240046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 701 50, 701 93, 172 45, 172 9
• 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: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/152 Tractors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/17 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/44 Tracked vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1843 Overheating of driveline components B60W30/186 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/221 Tractors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/25 Track vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/06 adapted for multi-purpose use
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/00 Endless track vehicles steering aspects B62D11/00; characterised by the driver not being seated B62D51/007
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/065 Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/32 Assembly, disassembly, repair or servicing of endless-track systems
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/02 Travelling-gear, e.g. associated with slewing gears drives therefor E02F9/20; for motor vehicles B60B, B60G; undercarriages for locomotives or railroad cars B61F; track-laying vehicles B62D; for cranes B66C23/18
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2253 : Controlling the travelling speed of vehicles, e.g. adjusting travelling speed according to implement loads, control of hydrostatic transmission

Abstract

A method for automatically controlling vehicle speeds of a track-based work vehicle may include monitoring, with a computing device, a load transmitted through a pivot pin of a track assembly of the work vehicle and determining, with the computing device, a speed limit setting for the work vehicle based on the monitored load, wherein the speed limit setting is associated with maintaining an operating temperature of a track of the track assembly below a predetermined temperature threshold. In addition, the method may include automatically limiting, with the computing device, a vehicle speed of the work vehicle based on the determined speed limit setting.

Claims

1. A method for automatically controlling vehicle speeds of a track-based work vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring, with a computing device, a load transmitted through a pivot pin of a track assembly of the work vehicle;

determining, with the computing device, a speed limit setting for the work vehicle based on the monitored load, the speed limit setting being associated with maintaining an operating temperature of a track of the track assembly below a predetermined temperature threshold; and

automatically limiting, with the computing device, a vehicle speed of the work vehicle based on the determined speed limit setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pivot pin is configured to pivotally couple an undercarriage support beam of the track assembly to a chassis of the work vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pivot pin is located inboard or outboard of a drive wheel of the track assembly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the load transmitted through the pivot pin comprises monitoring the load using a load sensor provided in operative association with the pivot pin.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the load sensor is configured to directly sense the load transmitted through the pivot pin.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the pivot pin corresponds to a load-sensing pin, the load sensor being integrated into the pivot pin.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the speed limit setting comprises referencing a look-up table stored within memory of the computing device, the look-up table correlating a plurality of different load values for the monitored load to a plurality of different speed limit settings based on the predetermined temperature threshold associated with the track.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the speed limit setting comprises calculating the speed limit setting based on a mathematical function stored within memory of the computing device that correlates the monitored load to a given speed limit for the work vehicle based on the predetermined temperature threshold associated with the track.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the speed limit setting comprises setting the speed limit setting to a first maximum speed limit when the monitored load exceeds a predetermined load threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the monitored load has exceeded the predetermined load threshold for a given period of time; and

adjusting the speed limit setting for the work vehicle to a second maximum speed limit, wherein the second maximum speed limit is less than the first maximum speed limit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically limiting the vehicle speed comprises automatically controlling at least one of an engine or a transmission of the work vehicle such that vehicle speed is maintained at or below a maximum speed associated with the speed limit setting.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the track is formed from an elastomeric material.

13. A system for automatically controlling vehicle speeds of a track-based work vehicle, the system comprising:

a track assembly including an undercarriage support beam and a drive wheel configured to engage a track, the track assembly further including a pivot pin configured to pivotally couple the undercarriage support beam to a chassis of the work vehicle;

a load sensor configured to monitor a load transmitted through the pivot pin; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the load sensor, the controller being configured to determine a speed limit setting for the work vehicle based on the monitored load and automatically limit a vehicle speed of the work vehicle based on the determined speed limit setting,

wherein the speed limit setting is associated with maintaining an operating temperature of the track below a predetermined temperature threshold.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the pivot pin is located inboard or outboard of the drive wheel.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the load sensor is configured to directly sense the load transmitted through the pivot pin.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the pivot pin corresponds to a load-sensing pin, the load sensor being integrated into the pivot pin.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to determine the speed limit setting by referencing a look-up table stored within memory of the controller, the look-up table correlating a plurality of different load values for the monitored load to a plurality of different speed limit settings based on the predetermined temperature threshold associated with the track.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to determine the speed limit setting using a mathematical function that correlates the monitored load to a given speed limit for the work vehicle based on the predetermined temperature threshold associated with the track.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to automatically control at least one of an engine or a transmission of the work vehicle such that vehicle speed is maintained at or below a maximum speed associated with the speed limit setting.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the track is formed from an elastomeric material.