Automotive Milling Machine, As Well As Method For Discharging Milled Material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018119370-A1
Application number	US-201715795751-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 27, 2017
Priority date	Aug 22, 2014
Publication date	May 3, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an automotive milling machine, comprising a machine frame, comprising a controller for the travelling and milling operation, comprising a working drum, comprising a transport conveyor, where the transport conveyor is slewable, relative to the machine frame, about a first axis extending essentially horizontally under an elevation angle, and sideways about a second axis extending orthogonally to the first axis under a slewing angle, where the transport conveyor discharges the milled material onto a loading surface of a transport vehicle at a specified conveying speed, and where the controller continuously controls positioning of the milled material automatically via, as a minimum, the slewing angle of the transport conveyor, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: the controller specifies and monitors limit values for a maximum permissible slewing angle range for slewing the transport conveyor variable in accordance with the current operating situation.

First claim

1 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . An automotive milling machine for milling off milled material and discharging the milled material onto a loading surface of a transport vehicle, the milling machine comprising:
a machine frame; a working drum supported from the machine frame for milling off the milled material; a transport conveyor arranged to receive the milled material milled off by the working drum and to discharge the milled material onto the loading surface of the transport vehicle at a conveying speed, the transport conveyor being pivotable sideways up to a mechanically limited permissible slewing angle about a longitudinal center line of the machine frame; at least one detector configured to detect a position of the loading surface relative to the machine frame or the transport conveyor as seen in the direction of transport; and a controller connected to the at least one detector and configured to automatically control positioning of the milled material on the loading surface of the transport vehicle by controlling at least the slewing angle of the transport conveyor, wherein the controller is further configured to dynamically specify limit values for a maximum permissible slewing angle range for slewing the transport conveyor within the mechanically limited permissible slewing angle about the longitudinal center line of the machine frame.

18 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured to specify the limit values for the maximum permissible slewing angle range relative to at least one of the machine frame and a current position of the transport conveyor.

19 . The automotive milling machine of claim 18 , wherein:
the controller is configured to specify the limit values for the maximum permissible slewing angle range relative to both of the machine frame and the current position of the transport conveyor; and the controller is configured to specify a first larger maximum slewing angle range relative to the longitudinal center line of the machine frame, and a second narrower maximum slewing angle range relative to the current position of the transport conveyor.

20 . The automotive milling machine of claim 19 , wherein:
the controller is configured, upon alteration of a current position of a longitudinal center line of the transport conveyor relative to the longitudinal center line of the machine frame, to specify the altered current position of the longitudinal center line of the transport conveyor as a new initial position for the second specified slewing angle range.

21 . The automotive milling machine of claim 20 , wherein:
the controller is configured to specify the altered current position of the longitudinal center line of the transport conveyor as the new initial position for the second specified slewing angle range after lapsing of a predetermined period of time or a distance travelled.

22 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured to specify the limit values for the maximum permissible slewing angle range dynamically in accordance with a current bend radius when the milling machine is cornering.

23 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured to control the positioning of the milled material on the loading surface of the transport vehicle by controlling the slewing angle of the transport conveyor and at least one of the elevation angle and the conveying speed, and further to specify the limit values for the maximum permissible slewing angle range in accordance with at least one of:
a relative position of the machine frame and the transport conveyor to one another;
the elevation angle;
the conveying speed;
a current steering angle of the milling machine; and
a distance between the milling machine and the transport vehicle.

24 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured to receive an information signal about an absence of working space next to the transport vehicle and to reduce the maximum permissible slewing angle range in a direction of at least one side of the transport vehicle in response to the information signal.

25 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured such that the maximum permissible slewing angle range is exceedable in response to a manual control command input to the controller.

26 . The automotive milling machine of claim 25 , wherein:
the controller is configured such that the manual control command is executable repeatedly after a predetermined lapse of time.

27 . The automotive milling machine of claim 25 , wherein:
the controller is configured such that the manual control command is executable repeatedly after a predetermined distance travelled.

28 . The automotive milling machine of claim 25 , wherein:
the controller is configured to limit an angular amount by which the maximum permissible slewing angle range is exceedable in response to the manual control command input.

29 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured to vary the maximum permissible slewing angle range in accordance with an intermittent operation of the transport vehicle.

30 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured to vary the maximum permissible slewing angle range in accordance with a distance between the milling machine and the transport vehicle.

31 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured to detect a predetermined zone on the loading surface and to vary the maximum permissible slewing angle range in accordance with the predetermined zone on the loading surface.

32 . The automotive milling machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the controller is configured to detect a loading condition on the loading surface and to vary the maximum permissible slewing angle range in accordance with the loading condition on the loading surface.

33 . A method of discharging worked-off milled material of an automotive milling machine onto a loading surface of a transport vehicle, the method comprising:
(a) discharging milled material via a transport conveyor onto the loading surface of the transport vehicle at an adjustable discharge height and a conveying speed, the transport conveyor further being slewable sideways up to a mechanically limited permissible slewing angle relative to a longitudinal center line of a machine frame of the milling machine; (b) detecting a position of the loading surface relative to the machine frame or the transport conveyor as seen in the direction of transport; (c) automatically controlling positioning of the milled material on the loading surface of the transport vehicle by controlling at least the slewing angle of the transport conveyor; and (d) specifying a maximum permissible slewing angle range within the mechanically limited permissible slewing angle about the longitudinal center line of the machine frame, and monitoring the slewing angle to maintain the slewing angle within the maximum permissible slewing angle range.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein:
step (d) further comprises specifying the maximum permissible slewing angle range relative to at least one of the machine frame and a current position of the transport conveyor.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein:
step (d) further comprises specifying a first larger maximum slewing angle range relative to the longitudinal center line of the machine fram

Assignees

• Wirtgen Gmbh

Inventors

• Berning Christian
• Winkels Sebastian
• Kroell Harald
• Krista Tobias

Classifications

• E01C23/088 Primary

  Rotary tools, e.g. milling drums {(for forming recesses to receive marking materials E01C23/0946)} · CPC title

• B65G41/002

  Pivotably mounted · CPC title

• B65G67/24

  Unloading land vehicles · CPC title

• E01C23/127

  rotary, e.g. rotary hammers · CPC title

• E01C23/01

  Devices or auxiliary means for setting-out or checking the configuration of new surfacing, e.g. templates, screed {or reference line} supports (form rails E01C19/50); Applications of apparatus for measuring, indicating, or recording the surface configuration of existing surfacing, e.g. profilographs (E01C23/07 takes precedence; measuring roughness or irregularity in general G01B) · CPC title