System and method for monitoring a condition of a paving machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9811952-B2
Application number	US-201615086319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A system and a method for monitoring a condition of a paving machine. The system includes a screed plate and a heating element for heating the screed plate. The system also includes a controller configured to determine a heat-up time for the screed plate and compare the heat-up time to a predetermined time. The controller is further configured to provide a signal indicating that the screed plate needs to be replaced if the heat-up time is less than or equal to the predetermined time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring a condition of a paving machine, the system comprising:
a screed plate;
a heating element for heating the screed plate; and
a controller configured to:
determine a heat-up time for the screed plate;
compare the heat-up time to a predetermined time; and
provide a signal indicating that the screed plate needs to be replaced if the heat-up time is less than or equal to the predetermined time.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor for providing a screed plate temperature.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a signal indicative of the screed plate temperature from the temperature sensor; and
determine the heat-up time based on the signal received from the temperature sensor.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the temperature sensor includes a plurality of temperature sensors disposed on multiple locations on the screed plate.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive, from the plurality of temperature sensors, a plurality of temperatures corresponding to multiple locations on the screed plate;
determine individual time durations of each of the plurality of temperatures corresponding to the multiple locations to reach a predetermined temperature; and
determine the heat-up time of the screed plate as a lowest time duration among the individual time durations.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide an energizing signal for commanding the heating element to heat the screed plate and a de-energizing signal for commanding the heating element to turn off, and the controller determines the heat-up time based on the energizing signal and the de-energizing signal from the heating element.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the heat-up time based on a time required for a screed plate temperature to reach a predetermined temperature.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the heat-up time based on a starting time and an end time for heating the screed plate.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the starting time based on at least one of an energizing signal from the heating element and a signal from a temperature sensor disposed on the screed plate.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the end time based on at least one of a de-energizing signal from the heating element and a signal from a temperature sensor disposed on the screed plate.

11. A method of monitoring a condition of a paving machine, the method comprising:
determining a heat-up time for a screed plate of the paving machine;
comparing the heat-up time to a predetermined time; and
providing a signal indicating that the screed plate needs to be replaced if the heat-up time is less than or equal to the predetermined time.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
receiving a signal indicative of a temperature of the screed plate from a temperature sensor disposed on the screed plate; and
determining the heat-up time based on the signal from the temperature sensor.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the heat-up time is determined based on a time required for a temperature of the screed plate to reach a predetermined temperature.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving at least one of an energizing signal and a de-energizing signal from a heating element, the heating element configured to heat the screed plate.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heat-up time is determined based on a time duration between the energizing signal and the de-energizing signal.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heat-up time is determined based on a combination of signals from a temperature sensor and the signals from the heating element.

17. A system for monitoring a condition of a screed plate of a paving machine, the system comprising:
a heating element for heating the screed plate; and
a controller configured to:
determine a heat-up time for the screed plate;
compare the heat-up time to a predetermined time; and
provide a signal indicating that the screed plate needs to be replaced if the heat-up time is less than or equal to the predetermined time.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a temperature sensor for providing a screed plate temperature, wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a signal indicative of the screed plate temperature from the temperature sensor; and
determine the heat-up time based on the signal received from the temperature sensor.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide an energizing signal for commanding the heating element to heat the screed plate and a de-energizing signal for commanding the heating element to turn off, and the controller determines the heat-up time based on the energizing signal and the de-energizing signal from the heating element.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the heat-up time based on a time required for a screed plate temperature to reach a predetermined temperature.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Paving Products Inc

Inventors

• Carlson Nathan A

Classifications

• G07C5/0816

  Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction · CPC title

• G07C5/0808 Primary

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title

• E01C2301/10

  Heated screeds · CPC title

• E01C19/22

  for consolidating or finishing laid-down unset materials ({E01C19/002, E01C19/48, E01C21/00} E01C23/02 {E01C23/065} take precedence; apparatus for generating vibrations in general B06B) · CPC title

• G07C5/0841

  Registering performance data (recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B) · CPC title