Axle pressure setting systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11833713-B2
Application number	US-202117184100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2021
Priority date	Mar 6, 2020
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A concrete mixing truck includes a chassis, a front axle and a rear axle coupled to the chassis, a lift axle coupled to the chassis and including a tractive element, a lift actuator coupled to the lift axle, a mixing drum rotatably coupled to the chassis, a fill level sensor coupled to the mixing drum and configured to provide a signal indicative of a fill level of a material within the mixing drum, and a controller. The lift axle is selectively repositionable between a lowered position in which the tractive element engages a support surface and a raised position. The controller is operatively coupled to the lift actuator and the fill level sensor and configured to control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle into the lowered position in response to the fill level exceeding a threshold fill level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A concrete mixing truck, comprising:
a chassis;
a front axle and a rear axle coupled to the chassis;
a lift axle coupled to the chassis and including a tractive element, wherein the lift axle is selectively repositionable between a lowered position in which the tractive element engages a support surface and a raised position in which the tractive element is lifted out of engagement with the support surface;
a lift actuator coupled to the lift axle;
a mixing drum rotatably coupled to the chassis and configured to contain material;
a fill level sensor coupled to the mixing drum and configured to provide a signal indicative of a fill level of the material within the mixing drum;
a location sensor configured to provide location data indicating a location of the concrete mixing truck; and
a controller operatively coupled to the lift actuator, the location sensor, and the fill level sensor and configured to:
control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle based on the fill level; and
control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle based on the location data.

2. The concrete mixing truck of claim 1 , wherein the location sensor is a global positioning system (GPS).

3. The concrete mixing truck of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle based on a speed of the concrete mixing truck.

4. The concrete mixing truck of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the speed of the concrete mixing truck based on the location data.

5. The concrete mixing truck of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to:
define a geofence adjacent a predetermined area;
determine, based on the location data, if the concrete mixing truck has crossed the geofence; and
control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle in response to a determination that the concrete mixing truck has crossed the geofence.

6. The concrete mixing truck of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the fill level based on an angular orientation of the mixing drum when the fill level sensor comes into contact with the material.

7. The concrete mixing truck of claim 1 , further comprising a speed sensor configured to provide a signal indicating a speed of the concrete mixing truck, wherein the controller is configured to control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle based on the signal provided by the speed sensor.

8. The concrete mixing truck of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to control the lift actuator to lower the lift axle in response to the speed of the concrete mixing truck exceeding a threshold speed.

9. The concrete mixing truck of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of lift axles coupled to the chassis including a plurality of tractive elements, wherein the plurality of tractive elements are selectively repositionable between the lowered position and the raised position.

10. The concrete mixing truck of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle into the lowered position in response to the fill level exceeding a threshold fill level.

11. The concrete mixing truck of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a central tire inflation (CTI) system to vary a tire pressure of the tractive element based on the fill level.

12. The concrete mixing truck of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to control the CTI system to reduce the tire pressure in response to a decrease in the fill level.

13. A concrete mixing truck, comprising:
a chassis;
an axle coupled to the chassis and including a tractive element;
a tire inflation system configured to vary the tire pressure of the tractive element;
a prime mover configured to propel the concrete mixing truck at a travel speed;
a mixing drum rotatably coupled to the chassis and configured to contain material;
a fill level sensor coupled to the mixing drum and configured to provide a signal indicative of a fill level of the material within the mixing drum; and
a controller operatively coupled to the fill level sensor and configured to control the tire inflation system to vary a tire pressure of the tractive element based on the fill level.

14. A concrete mixing truck, comprising:
a chassis;
an axle coupled to the chassis and including a tractive element;
a prime mover configured to propel the concrete mixing truck at a travel speed;
a mixing drum rotatably coupled to the chassis and configured to contain material;
a fill level sensor coupled to the mixing drum and configured to provide a signal indicative of a fill level of the material within the mixing drum; and
a controller operatively coupled to the fill level sensor and configured to limit the travel speed of the concrete mixing truck based on the fill level.

15. The concrete mixing truck of claim 14 , further comprising a lift axle coupled to the chassis and a lift actuator configured to selectively reposition the lift axle between (a) a lowered position in which the lift axle contacts a support surface and (b) a raised position in which the lift axle is lifted out of engagement with the support surface, wherein the controller is configured to limit the travel speed of the concrete mixing truck in response to the fill level being over a threshold fill level while the lift axle is in the raised position.

16. A concrete mixing truck, comprising:
a chassis;
an axle coupled to the chassis and including a tractive element;
a prime mover configured to propel the concrete mixing truck at a travel speed;
a mixing drum rotatably coupled to the chassis and configured to contain material;
a fill level sensor coupled to the mixing drum and configured to provide a signal indicative of a fill level of the material within the mixing drum;
a lock configured to selectively limit movement of the axle relative to the chassis; and
a controller operatively coupled to the fill level sensor and configured to control the lock to limit movement of the axle based on the fill level.

17. A vehicle, comprising:
a chassis;
a front axle and a rear axle coupled to the chassis;
a lift axle coupled to the chassis and including a tractive element, wherein the lift axle is selectively repositionable between a lowered position in which the tractive element engages a support surface and a raised position in which the tractive element is lifted out of engagement with the support surface;
a lift actuator coupled to the lift axle;
a location sensor configured to provide location data indicating a location of the vehicle; and
a controller operatively coupled to the lift actuator and the location sensor and configured to control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle based on the location data.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle based on a speed of the concrete mixing truck.

19. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to:
define a geofence adjacent a predetermined area;
determine, based on the location data, if the concrete mixing truck has crossed the geofence; and
control the lift actuator to reposition the lift axle in response to a determination that the concrete mixing truck has crossed the geofence.

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Datema Bryan S

Classifications

• B28C5/4217 Primary

  Drives in combination with drum mountings; Drives directly coupled to the axis of rotating drums · CPC title

• B28C5/422 Primary

  Controlling or measuring devices (B28C5/4227 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B28C5/4272

  with rotating drum rotating about a horizontal or inclined axis, e.g. comprising tilting or raising means for the drum (B28C5/4279 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60P3/16

  for carrying mixed concrete, e.g. having rotatable drums {(concrete-mixing apparatus specially adapted for being mounted on vehicles with provision for mixing during transport B28C5/42)} · CPC title

• B60R16/023

  for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems · CPC title