Method for cleaning cooling system of a work machine and system thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11359536-B2
Application number	US-201916668702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2019
Priority date	Oct 30, 2019
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

A control system for controlling a work machine includes an engine for producing power to propel the work machine during a normal operating mode, a cooling system for cooling at least the engine during the normal operating mode, and a controller for controlling the cleaning system during the normal operating mode and a clean operating mode. During the normal operating mode, the engine is running and the controller operably controls a cooling fan of the cooling system to rotate in a first rotational direction to produce a first air flow in a first direction. During the clean operating mode, the engine is not running and the controller operably controls the cooling fan to rotate in a second rotational direction to produce a second air flow in a second direction. The first rotational direction is opposite the second rotational direction, and the first direction is opposite the second direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for controlling a work machine, comprising:
an engine for producing power to propel the work machine during a normal operating mode;
a cooling system for cooling at least the engine during the normal operating mode, the cooling system including a cooling fan;
a controller for controlling at least the cooling system during the normal operating mode and a clean operating mode; and
a battery electrically coupled to the engine, the controller and the cooling fan, the battery providing electrical power to the cooling fan during the clean operating mode;
wherein, during the normal operating mode, the engine is running and the controller operably controls the cooling fan to rotate in a first rotational direction to produce a first air flow in a first direction;
wherein, during the clean operating mode, the engine is not running and the controller operably controls the cooling fan to rotate in a second rotational direction to produce a second air flow in a second direction;
wherein, the battery comprises a current electrical charge, and the controller operates the cooling fan to rotate in the second rotational direction only if the current electrical charge is above a threshold charge level;
further wherein, the first rotational direction is opposite the second rotational direction, and the first direction is opposite the second direction.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling fan rotates in the second rotational direction only if the engine is not running.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling system comprises a heat exchanger for cooling the engine, the heat exchanger being located between the cooling fan and the engine.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling system comprises a heat exchanger for cooling the engine, the cooling fan being located between the heat exchanger and the engine.

5. The control system of claim 1 , further comprising a user input disposed in communication with the controller, wherein the controller disables the normal operating mode and enables the clean operating mode upon receiving a command from the user input.

6. The control system of claim 1 , further comprising a compressed air source in communication with the controller, the compressed air source providing compressed air to flow in a direction substantially parallel to the second direction during the clean operating mode.

7. The control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a door for enclosing the cooling system and engine in an interior compartment of the machine; and
a sensor disposed in electrical communication with the controller, the sensor configured to detect a position of the door and communicate the position of the door to the controller.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein:
in the normal operating mode, the first air flow is directed in the first direction towards the engine; and
in the clean operating mode, the second air flow is directed in the second direction away from the engine.

9. A method for cleaning a cooling system of a work machine, comprising:
providing a controller, an engine, a cooling fan of the cooling system, a user input, and a battery;
controlling the work machine in a normal operating mode with the engine running and the cooling fan rotating only in a first rotational direction;
receiving a command via the controller from the user input to operate in a clean operating mode;
determining if the engine is running;
detecting a current charge status of the battery via the controller;
providing electrical power from the battery to the cooling fan; and
operating the cooling fan to rotate only in a second rotational direction during the clean operating mode only if the engine is disabled, where the second rotational direction is opposite the first rotational direction.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising sending an instruction to turn off the engine if the engine is running before the operating step.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
comparing the current charge status to a charge threshold;
performing the operating step if the current charge status is greater than the charge threshold.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising not performing the operating step if the current charge status is less than the charge threshold.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
providing a heat exchanger of the cooling system between the cooling fan and the engine;
producing a first air flow by the cooling fan during the normal operating mode, where the first air flow moves in a first direction towards the heat exchanger and engine; and
producing a second air flow by the cooling fan during the clean operating mode, where the second air flow moves in a second direction away from the heat exchanger and engine.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising supplying compressed air in the second direction during the clean operating mode.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining an amount of time to execute the clean operating mode by the controller as a function of the current charge status of the battery.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising performing the operating step for the amount of time so long as the engine is not running and the current charge status is greater than a charge threshold.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising disabling the clean operating mode if the engine is running, the current charge status is less than the charge threshold, or the amount of time expires.

18. A work machine, comprising: a chassis; a ground-engaging mechanism for supporting the chassis; an engine for operably driving the ground-engaging mechanism to propel the work machine during a normal operating mode; a battery electrically coupled to the engine to provide electrical power thereto; a controller electrically coupled to the battery; and a cooling system for cooling the engine during the normal operating mode, the cooling system including a cooling fan electrically coupled to the battery; wherein, the controller operably controls the cooling fan in the normal operating mode and a clean operating mode; wherein, during the normal operating mode, the engine is running and the cooling fan is operably controlled by the controller to rotate in a first rotational direction to produce a first air flow that moves in a first direction to cool the engine; wherein, during the clean operating mode, the engine is not running and the cooling fan is operably controlled by the controller to rotate in a second rotational direction to produce a second air flow that moves in a second direction away from the engine; wherein, the first rotational direction is opposite the second rotational direction, and the first direction is opposite the second direction; wherein, the battery comprises a current electrical charge, and the controller operates the cooling fan to rotate in the second rotational direction only if the current electrical charge is above a threshold charge level.

19. The work machine of claim 18 , wherein the cooling system comprises a heat exchanger for cooling the engine, the cooling fan being located between the heat exchanger and the engine.

20. The work machine of claim 18 , further comprising:
a door coupled to the chassis for enclosing the cooling system and engine in an interior compartment of the machine; and
a sensor disposed in electrical communication with the controller, the sensor configured to detect a position of the door and com

Assignees

• Deere & Co
• Deere Hitachi Construction Machinery Corp

Inventors

• West Sean P
• Sass Steven R
• Schwalb James A
• Wantschik Paul A
• Lucas Daniel L
• Knipper Jason G
• Flippin Jeffrey
• Henderson Jacob

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/585

  Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/61

  against overcharge · CPC title