System and method of operating a positioning mode actuator to operate a material dispersal device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802524-B2
Application number	US-201615057600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2016
Priority date	Mar 1, 2016
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A method for implementing an operation of a body of a machine includes receiving data indicating an operation of a positioning mode actuator to facilitate movement of the body from a first position, determining activation state of a multi-auto mode to actuate a first auto lower mode to operate a hoist system to lower the body automatically and a first auto raise mode to operate the hoist system to raise the body automatically. The method includes determining the first auto lower mode is selected according to the data indicating the operation of the positioning mode actuator, and causing a hoist system to actively lower the body from the first position to a second position and passively lower the body from the second position to a third position, independent of the activation state of the multi-auto mode.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for implementing an operation of a body of a machine, the method comprising:
receiving, using one or more processors, data indicating an operation of a positioning mode actuator to facilitate movement of the body from a first position;
determining, using the one or more processors, an activation state of a multi-auto mode to actuate a first auto lower mode to operate a hoist system to lower the body automatically and a first auto raise mode to operate the hoist system to raise the body automatically, in response to receiving the data indicating the operation of the positioning mode actuator;
determining, using the one or more processors, the first auto lower mode is selected according to the data indicating the operation of the positioning mode actuator; and
causing a hoist system to actively lower the body from the first position to a second position and passively lower the body from the second position to a third position, in response to determining the first auto lower mode is selected, independent of the activation state of the multi-auto mode.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the positioning mode actuator includes a lever pivotally mounted to an actuator base, the actuator base including a center detent positioned between a first detent and a second detent,
wherein the lever is biased to engage the center detent in a normal state, and
wherein movement of the lever in a first direction towards the first detent from the center detent corresponds to a lowering motion of the body and movement of the lever in a second direction from the center detent towards the second detent corresponds to a raising motion of the body.

3. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein determining the first auto lower mode is selected includes determining the lever engaged the first detent according to a first detent front engagement and a first detent return engagement,
wherein the first detent front engagement includes the lever moving in the first direction past the first detent, and
wherein the first detent return engagement includes the lever moving in the second direction past the first detent to a position at least between the first detent and the center detent.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining, using the one or more processors, an activation state of a multi-system mode to actuate a second auto lower mode and a second auto raise mode to operate the hoist system to move the body automatically and operate at least one of an engine, a transmission, and a brake system of the machine,
determining, using one or more processors, the operation of the positioning mode actuator includes the first detent front engagement and the first detent return engagement, and
causing, in response to determining the second auto lower mode is selected, the activation state of the multi-auto mode is active, and the activation state of the multi-system mode is active:
the hoist system to actively lower the body from the first position to the second position and passively lower the body from the second position to the third position, and
an automatic operation of at least one of the engine, the transmission, and the brake system.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining, using the one or more processors, the operation of the positioning mode actuator includes the lever being continuously disengaged from the center detent in the first direction;
determining, using the one or more processors, the operation of the positioning mode actuator does not include the first detent front engagement; and
causing the hoist system to passively lower the body from the second position to a third position.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining, using the one or more processors, a body lowering speed of the body moving from the first position to the second position; and
causing the hoist system to reduce body lower speed as the hoist system passively moves the body from the second position to the third position based on the body lower speed.

7. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the hoist system includes a valve for modulating an output of the hoist system transmitted to the body, and
wherein causing the hoist system to reduce the body lowering speed includes:
determining, using the one or more processors, a valve position for the valve corresponding to a target float speed for moving the body from the second position to the third position, and
operating the valve to be positioned in the valve position as the hoist system passively moves the body towards the third position.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the valve position includes determining a valve current operating the valve and an adjustment current according to a difference between target float speed and the body lowering speed.

9. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein determining the valve position includes operating the valve according to a minimum float current in response to determining a sum of the valve current and the adjustment current is less than the minimum float current,
wherein the minimum float current corresponds to a position of the valve facilitating minimum fluid communication between a hoist device of the hoist system and a source of low pressure enabling the hoist system to passively lower the body.

10. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
detecting, using one or more sensors, a weight of the body and a body lower speed the body is moving from the first position;
determining, using the one or more processors, a location of the second position according to the weight of the body and the body lower speed; and
causing the hoist system to passively lower the body from the second position to the third position, in response to:
determining, using the one or more processors, the lever remains disengaged from the center detent in the direction of the first detent, and
detecting, using the one or more sensors, the body is located in the second position.

11. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining, using one or more processors, the operation of the positioning mode actuator includes the lever disengaging the center detent in the first direction and reengaging the center detent without engaging the first detent, and
causing the hoist system to hold the body in a current position in response to the lever reengaging the center detent.

12. A method for implementing an operation of a body of a machine, the method comprising:
receiving, using one or more processors, first data indicating a lever pivotally mounted on an actuator base of a positioning mode actuator is disengaged from a center detent within the actuator base;
determining, using the one or more processors, an operating direction of the lever relative to the center detent according to the first data and a moving direction for moving the body according to the operating direction of the lever;
causing a hoist system to actively move the body in the moving direction;
detecting, using one or more sensors, a position of the body as the body moves in the moving direction; and
causing the hoist system to stop actively moving the body in the moving direction at a second position and passively move the body in the moving direction from the second position to a third position, in response to determining that:
the moving direction corresponds to a lowering motion of the body,
the lever remains disengaged from the center detent and the operating direction of the lever continues to correspond to the lowering motion, and
the body is located at the second position.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining, using the on

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Anderson Ryan
• Winckler Kurt
• Menold Rodney
• Skalet Joel
• Schwartz Timothy

Classifications

• B60P1/286 Primary

  Loading buckets · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• B60W2510/0642

  Idle condition · CPC title

• B60W10/18

  including control of braking systems · CPC title

• B62D33/02

  Platforms; Open load compartments {(flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08)} · CPC title