Oscillation control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040327-B2
Application number	US-201615150972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2016
Priority date	May 10, 2016
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

An oscillation brake system and method is disclosed for a vehicle having front and rear vehicle sections coupled with an oscillation joint that allows rotation about an oscillation axis. The system includes front and rear brake sections rigidly coupled to the front and rear vehicle sections, respectively. The rear vehicle section has multiple degrees of freedom of movement relative to front vehicle section. When the oscillation brake is activated the front brake section engages the rear brake section to increase resistance against or prevent rotation about the oscillation axis. The system can also include sensors, and a controller that activates the system based on the sensor readings. The sensors can include accelerometers, pressure, position, speed or other sensors. The oscillation brake can include a hub splined to separator plates and a housing splined to friction plates, where the oscillation brake is activated to force the separator and friction plates together.

First claim

We claim:

1. An oscillation brake system for a vehicle having a front vehicle section coupled to a rear vehicle section with an oscillation joint that allows the front vehicle section to rotate about an oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section, and the front vehicle section includes a front frame; the oscillation brake comprising:
a front oscillation brake section rigidly coupled to the front vehicle section;
a rear oscillation brake section rigidly coupled to the rear vehicle section, the rear vehicle section having multiple degrees of freedom of movement relative to front vehicle section including rotation about the oscillation axis;
at least one sensor providing sensor readings regarding the vehicle; and
a controller receiving the sensor readings;
wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer providing accelerometer readings regarding the direction and magnitude of acceleration of the front frame;
wherein the controller activates the oscillation brake based on the sensor readings;
wherein when the oscillation brake is activated the front oscillation brake section engages the rear oscillation brake section causing greater resistance against the front vehicle section rotating about the oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section.

2. The oscillation brake system of claim 1 , wherein when the oscillation brake is activated the front oscillation brake section locks with the rear oscillation brake section preventing the front vehicle section from rotating about the oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section.

3. The oscillation brake system of claim 1 , wherein the rear vehicle section includes a dump body for carrying material in the rear vehicle section and dumping material from the rear vehicle section; and
wherein the at least one sensor further includes a dump body position sensor providing position readings regarding the dump body.

4. The oscillation brake system of claim 1 , wherein the front vehicle section further includes a front axle, a front strut coupling the front frame and the front axle; and
wherein the at least one sensor further includes a strut sensor providing strut sensor readings regarding a pressure or position of the front strut.

5. The oscillation brake system of claim 4 , wherein the rear vehicle section includes a dump body for carrying material in the rear vehicle section and dumping material from the rear vehicle section; and
wherein the at least one sensor further includes a dump body position sensor providing position readings regarding the dump body, and a ground speed sensor for the vehicle; and
wherein the controller activates the oscillation brake to lock the front oscillation brake section with the rear oscillation brake section to prevent the front vehicle section from rotating about the oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section when the accelerometer readings indicate the front frame is accelerating upward, and the strut sensor readings indicate both of the front struts are extending and/or depressurizing, and the dump body position sensor indicates the dump body is rising, and the ground speed sensor indicates the vehicle ground speed is below a speed threshold.

6. The oscillation brake system of claim 1 , wherein the front vehicle section further includes a front axle, a right-side front strut and a left-side front strut, the right-side and left-side front struts coupling the front frame to the front axle; and
wherein the rear vehicle section includes a rear frame and a rear axle; and
wherein the at least one sensor further includes a frame angle sensor providing frame angle sensor readings regarding the difference between a front axle angle and a rear axle angle, and a ground speed sensor for the vehicle; and
wherein the controller activates the oscillation brake to force the front oscillation brake section against the rear oscillation brake section to resist the front vehicle section from rotating about the oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section when the accelerometer readings indicate the front frame is accelerating upward, and the frame angle sensor readings indicate the difference between the front axle angle and the rear axle angle is above an angle threshold, and the ground speed sensor indicates the vehicle ground speed is above a speed threshold.

7. The oscillation brake system of claim 6 , wherein the controller commands the oscillation brake to force the front oscillation brake section against the rear oscillation brake section to resist the front vehicle section from rotating about the oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section when the frame angle sensor readings indicate the difference between the front axle angle and the rear axle angle is above the angle threshold and increasing.

8. The oscillation brake system of claim 6 , wherein the controller commands the oscillation brake to force the front oscillation brake section against the rear oscillation brake section to resist the front vehicle section from rotating about the oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section when the ground speed sensor indicates the vehicle ground speed is above the speed threshold and increasing.

9. An oscillation brake system for a vehicle having a front vehicle section coupled to a rear vehicle section with an oscillation joint that allows the front vehicle section to rotate about an oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section, the oscillation brake system comprising:
a front oscillation brake section rigidly coupled to the front vehicle section, where the front oscillation brake section includes an oscillation brake hub splined to a separator plate; and
a rear oscillation brake section rigidly coupled to the rear vehicle section, the rear vehicle section having multiple degrees of freedom of movement relative to front vehicle section including rotation about the oscillation axis, where the rear oscillation brake section includes an oscillation brake housing splined to a friction plate; and
wherein when the oscillation brake is activated the oscillation brake hub and the separator plate of the front oscillation brake section are forced against the oscillation brake housing and the friction plate of the rear oscillation brake section causing greater resistance against the front vehicle section rotating about the oscillation axis relative to the rear vehicle section.

10. The oscillation brake system of claim 9 , wherein the oscillation brake hub and the separator plate are forced against the oscillation brake housing and the friction plate by hydraulic pressure.

11. The oscillation brake system of claim 9 , wherein the oscillation brake hub and the separator plate are forced against the oscillation brake housing and the friction plate by spring pressure.

12. The oscillation brake system of claim 9 , wherein the front vehicle section includes a front frame, the oscillation brake system further comprising:
an accelerometer providing accelerometer readings regarding the direction and magnitude of acceleration of the front frame, the accelerometer readings being used to determine when to activate the oscillation brake.

13. The oscillation brake system of claim 9 , wherein the front vehicle section includes a front frame, a front axle, and a front strut coupling the front frame and the front axle; the oscillation brake system further comprising:
a strut sensor providing strut sensor readings regarding a pressure or position of the front strut, the strut sensor readings being used to determine when to activate the oscillation brake.

14. The oscillation brake system of claim 9 , wherein the front vehi

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Chmelar Mark A
• Stander Francois F

Classifications

• B60P1/045 Primary

  Levelling or stabilising systems for tippers (suspensions with levelling or stabilising means for vehicles in general B60G17/00, B60G21/00, using ground-engaging vehicle fittings B60S9/00) · CPC title

• B60D1/32 Primary

  involving damping devices · CPC title

• G01P15/00

  Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration · CPC title

• B62D12/00

  Steering specially adapted for vehicles operating in tandem or having pivotally connected frames (steering endless tracks or the like B62D11/00; steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00) · CPC title

• B60K28/10

  responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle · CPC title