Variable pitch fan control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11668228-B2
Application number	US-202117301948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2021
Priority date	May 28, 2020
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

A fan control system for a variable pitch fan of a work vehicle includes a first sensor that measures a parameter of a cooling system and a blade pitch module that adjust a pitch of a plurality of blades of the variable pitch fan to generate airflow in a first direction. A reversing module selectively commands a fan reversal that includes instructing the blade pitch module to temporarily adjust the pitch of the plurality of blades to generate airflow in a second direction. A first timer module, in response to the reversing module commanding the fan reversal, resets and increments a first timer and compares the first timer to a first threshold. A first reversal prevention module, in response to the first timer being less than the first threshold, prevents the reversing module from commanding a fan reversal by indicating that a first type of fan reversal is not permitted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fan control system for a variable pitch fan of a work vehicle, the fan control system comprising:
a first sensor that measures a parameter of a cooling system of the work vehicle;
a blade pitch module configured to:
receive the measured parameter from the first sensor, and
adjust a pitch of a plurality of blades of the variable pitch fan based on the measured parameter to generate a first airflow in a first direction;

a reversing module configured to selectively command a fan reversal that includes instructing the blade pitch module to temporarily adjust the pitch of the plurality of blades of the variable pitch fan to generate a second airflow in a second direction;
a first timer module configured to:
in response to the reversing module commanding the fan reversal, reset and increment a first timer, and
compare the first timer to a first threshold;

a first reversal prevention module configured to, in response to determining that the first timer is less than the first threshold, prevent the reversing module from commanding a fan reversal by indicating that a first type of fan reversal is not permitted; and
a second reversal prevention module configured to, in response to determining that the first timer is less than the first threshold, prevent the reversing module from commanding the fan reversal by indicating that a second type of fan reversal is not permitted,
wherein the reversing module is configured to:
receive an instruction, via an operator interface, that requests the second type of fan reversal, and
command the fan reversal in response to (i) receiving the instruction and (ii) determining that the second reversal prevention module does not indicate that the second type of fan reversal is not permitted.

2. The fan control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second sensor that monitors a status of a clutch of the work vehicle; and
a second timer module configured to:
receive the status of the clutch from the second sensor,
in response to the status of the clutch indicating that the clutch is engaged, increment a second timer, and
compare the second timer to a second threshold,

wherein the reversing module is configured to command a fan reversal in response to determining that (i) the second timer is equal to or greater than the second threshold and (ii) the first reversal prevention module does not indicate that the first type of fan reversal is not permitted.

3. The fan control system of claim 1 , wherein the work vehicle includes an engine, the fan control system further comprising:
a second sensor that measures a speed of the engine; and
an engine state module configured to:
receive the measured engine speed from the second sensor,
compare the measured engine speed to a first speed threshold, and
compare the measured engine speed to a second speed threshold,

wherein:
the first reversal prevention module is configured to, in response to determining that (i) the measured engine speed is less than the first speed threshold or (ii) the measured engine speed is greater than the second speed threshold, indicate that the first type of fan reversal is not permitted, and
the first speed threshold is less than the second speed threshold.

4. The fan control system of claim 3 , wherein;
the engine state module is configured to compare the measured engine speed to a third speed threshold,
the second reversal prevention module is configured to, in response to determining that (i) the engine speed is less than the third speed threshold or (ii) the engine speed is greater than the first threshold, prevent the reversing module from commanding a fan reversal by indicating that a second type of fan reversal is not permitted,
the reversing module is configured to:
receive an instruction, via an operator interface, that requests the second type of fan reversal, and
command the fan reversal in response to (i) receiving the instruction and (ii) determining that the second reversal prevention module does not indicate that the second type of fan reversal is not permitted, and

the third speed threshold is less than both the first speed threshold and the second speed threshold.

5. The fan control system of claim 1 , further comprising;
a third sensor that measures an ambient temperature associated with the work vehicle,
wherein the first reversal prevention module is configured to:
receive the measured ambient temperature from the third sensor, and
in response to determining that the received ambient temperature is less than a temperature threshold, indicate that the first type of fan reversal is not permitted.

6. The fan control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cooling system state module configured to:
set a state of the cooling system based on at least one code associated with one or more components of the cooling system, and
in response to receiving at least one fault code, set the state of the cooling system to an error state,

wherein the first reversal prevention module is configured to, in response to determining that the cooling system is in an error state, indicate that the first type of fan reversal is not permitted.

7. A method for controlling a variable pitch fan of a work vehicle that includes an engine, the method comprising:
measuring a parameter of a cooling system of the work vehicle;
performing a first fan reversal including temporarily adjusting the pitch of the plurality of blades of the variable pitch fan to generate a second airflow in a second direction;
resetting and incrementing a first timer in response to performing the fan reversal;
comparing the first timer to a first threshold;
preventing a second fan reversal, in response to determining that the first timer is less than the first threshold;
measuring a speed of the engine;
comparing the measured engine speed to a first speed threshold;
comparing the measured engine speed to a second speed threshold; and
performing a third fan reversal in response to determining that (i) the first timer is greater than the first threshold, (ii) the measured engine speed is greater than the first speed threshold, and (iii) the measured engine speed is less than the second speed threshold,
wherein the first speed threshold is less than the second speed threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving, from a second sensor, a status of a clutch of the work vehicle;
resetting a second timer in response to performing the first fan reversal;
incrementing the second timer in response the status of the clutch indicating that the clutch is engaged;
comparing the second timer to a second threshold;
performing a fourth fan reversal in response to determining that the first timer is greater than the first threshold and the second timer is greater than the second threshold.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a cooling state of the cooling system based on based on at least one code associated with one or more components of the cooling system; and
performing a fifth fan reversal in response to the determining that (i) the first timer is greater than the first threshold, (ii) the second timer is greater than the second threshold, and (iii) the cooling state is not an error state.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising performing a fourth fan reversal in response to (i) receiving a reversal request from an operator of the work vehicle and (ii) determining that the first timer is greater than the first threshold.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
comparing the measured engine speed to a third speed threshold; and
performing a fourth fan reversal in response to:

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Muttepawar Manoj T
• Kharche Nishant
• Cruchelow Darren J
• Haubenstricker Jason E
• Clark Scott N

Classifications

• B60K11/06

  with air cooling · CPC title

• F04D27/001

  Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring · CPC title

• F01P2025/60

  Operating parameters · CPC title

• F04D27/004

  by varying driving speed · CPC title

• F01P11/06

  Cleaning (in general B08B); Combating corrosion (in general C23F) · CPC title