Method for controlling the engine speed of a utility vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11339554-B2
Application number	US-201815946298-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2018
Priority date	Apr 21, 2017
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A method is provided for controlling engine speed of a drive engine of a utility vehicle having a drivable loading apparatus. The method includes detecting or predicting a driving movement of the loading apparatus, and requesting an increase of engine speed if the movement of the loading apparatus is predicted or detected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling engine speed of a drive engine of a utility vehicle having a drivable loading apparatus, comprising:
detecting or predicting a driving movement of the loading apparatus;
requesting an increase of engine speed if the movement of the loading apparatus is predicted or detected;
increasing the engine speed by a predetermined increase rate to an elevated engine speed; and
predicting movement of the loading device before the detecting step.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling the engine speed at an idling speed when the utility vehicle is stationary.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
triggering a predetermined waiting period;
determining if the elevated engine speed is elevated about a predetermined limit speed;
reducing the engine speed if the predetermined waiting period has expired and no driving movement of the loading apparatus has been requested until the expiration of the waiting period.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the driving movement of the loading apparatus is predicted or detected depending on a detected state signal, wherein the state signal is indicative of an operating state of the loading apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
hydraulically driving the loading apparatus;
determining a target hydraulic flow of a hydraulic drive pump of the utility vehicle depending on the predicted or detected driving movement of the loading apparatus; and
requesting the increase of engine speed based on the determined target hydraulic flow.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining step comprises determining the target hydraulic flow based on a detected valve control signal for at least one hydraulic valve of the loading apparatus.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining step comprises determining the target hydraulic flow based on at least one of a requested drive movement of the loading apparatus, a drive characteristic of the loading apparatus, and a requested target position of the loading apparatus.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining step comprises determining the target hydraulic flow based on at least one hydraulic unit of the utility vehicle.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the requesting step comprises requesting the increase of the engine speed for a request period that is determined based on the target hydraulic flow.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elevated engine speed is less than or equal to a predetermined limit speed.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising lowering the engine speed at a predetermined decrease rate after being increased.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the elevated engine speed for a holding period.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the maintaining step comprises maintaining the elevated engine speed after expiration of a predetermined holding period if the requested engine speed is at least as high as the elevated engine speed at the point when the holding period expires.

14. A method for controlling engine speed of a drive engine of a utility vehicle, comprising:
providing the vehicle with a drivable loading apparatus and a hydraulic drive pump;
hydraulically driving the loading apparatus;
detecting a driving movement of the loading apparatus;
determining a target hydraulic flow of the hydraulic drive pump of the utility vehicle based on a predicted or detected driving movement of the loading apparatus;
requesting an increase of engine speed based on the determined target hydraulic flow if movement of the loading apparatus is detected; and
predicting movement of the loading device before the detecting step.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the determining step comprises determining the target hydraulic flow based on a detected valve control signal for at least one hydraulic valve of the loading apparatus.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the determining step comprises determining the target hydraulic flow based on at least one of a requested drive movement of the loading apparatus, a drive characteristic of the loading apparatus, and a requested target position of the loading apparatus.

17. A method for controlling engine speed of a drive engine of a utility vehicle, comprising:
providing the vehicle with a drivable loading apparatus and a hydraulic drive pump;
hydraulically driving the loading apparatus;
detecting a driving movement of the loading apparatus;
determining a target hydraulic flow of the hydraulic drive pump of the utility vehicle based on a predicted or detected driving movement of the loading apparatus;
requesting an increase of engine speed if movement of the loading apparatus is detected; and
predicting movement of the loading device before the detecting step.

18. A method for controlling engine speed of a drive engine of a utility vehicle, comprising:
providing the vehicle with a drivable loading apparatus and a hydraulic drive pump;
hydraulically driving the loading apparatus;
detecting a driving movement of the loading apparatus;
determining a target hydraulic flow of the hydraulic drive pump of the utility vehicle based on a predicted or detected driving movement of the loading apparatus;
requesting an increase of engine speed if movement of the loading apparatus is detected;
determining a request period of time based on the target hydraulic flow;
increasing the engine speed for a duration of the request period of time; and
predicting movement of the loading device before the detecting step.

19. A method for controlling engine speed of a drive engine of a utility vehicle having a drivable loading apparatus, comprising:
detecting or predicting a driving movement of the loading apparatus;
requesting an increase of engine speed if the movement of the loading apparatus is predicted or detected;
increasing the engine speed by a predetermined increase rate to an elevated engine speed;
triggering a predetermined waiting period;
determining if the elevated engine speed is elevated about a predetermined limit speed; and
reducing the engine speed if the predetermined waiting period has expired and no driving movement of the loading apparatus has been requested until the expiration of the waiting period.

20. A method for controlling engine speed of a drive engine of a utility vehicle having a drivable loading apparatus, comprising:
detecting or predicting a driving movement of the loading apparatus;
requesting an increase of engine speed if the movement of the loading apparatus is predicted or detected;
increasing the engine speed by a predetermined increase rate to an elevated engine speed; and
lowering the engine speed at a predetermined decrease rate after being increased.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Letscher Jens
• Reinmuth Florian
• Schott Florian

Classifications

• F02D31/006

  for maximum speed control · CPC title

• F02D29/02

  peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers · CPC title

• F15B19/00

  Testing; {Calibrating; Fault detection or monitoring; Simulation or modelling of} fluid-pressure systems or apparatus not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F02D41/021

  Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18) · CPC title

• E02F3/431

  for bucket-arms, front-end loaders, dumpers or the like · CPC title