Angle of repose detector for hauling machines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9952115-B2
Application number	US-201615011954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Feb 1, 2016
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A rollover prevention system for a machine is disclosed. The rollover prevention system may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to detect a discharge event of a payload material from the machine and measure a body angle of the machine. The rollover prevention system may further include a controller in communication with the IMU. The controller may be configured to determine an angle of repose of the machine based on the detected discharge event and the measured body angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rollover prevention system for a machine, the rollover prevention system comprising: an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to: detect a discharge event of a payload material from the machine, and measure a body angle of the machine; and a controller in communication with the IMU, the controller configured to: determine an angle of repose of the machine based on the detected discharge event and the measured body angle, the determined angle of repose being based on one or more angles of repose, the one or more angles of repose being stored in a memory associated with the controller, prevent rollover of the machine using the determined angle of repose of the machine and a rollover angle of the machine, send signals to an operator interface of the machine to provide information regarding the rollover angle and the determined angle of repose, and prevent hoisting of a body of the machine if the rollover angle is less than or equal to the determined angle of repose.

2. The rollover prevention system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine an angle of repose for each different payload material.

3. The rollover prevention system of claim 2 , further comprising an operator interface in communication with the controller, and wherein the controller is further configured to send signals to the operator interface to receive data indicative of a specific payload material.

4. The rollover prevention system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine different payload material based on anomalous observations of the determined angle of repose.

5. The rollover prevention system of claim 1 , wherein the IMU is further configured to measure a slope upon which the machine is positioned.

6. The rollover prevention system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to estimate an amount of the payload material in the machine.

7. The rollover prevention system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate the rollover angle of the machine based on the measured slope and the estimated amount of the payload material.

8. The rollover prevention system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a center of gravity of the machine in order to generate the rollover angle.

9. The rollover prevention system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the rollover angle to the determined angle of repose.

10. The rollover prevention system of claim 9 , wherein, after comparing the rollover angle to the determined angle of repose, the controller is further configured to send signals to the operator interface of the machine to notify the operator if the rollover angle is less than or equal to the determined angle of repose.

11. The rollover prevention system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to prevent hoisting of a body of the machine if the rollover angle is less than or equal to the determined angle of repose.

12. A method of preventing rollover of a machine, the method comprising: detecting a discharge event of a payload material from a body of the machine; measuring a body angle of the machine when the discharge event is detected; determining by a controller, an angle of repose of the machine based on the detected discharge event and the measured body angle, the determined angle of repose being based on one or more angles of repose, the one or more angles of repose being stored in a memory associated with the controller; and preventing, by the controller, rollover of the machine by preventing hoisting of the body of the machine when a rollover angle of the machine is less than or equal to the determined angle of repose.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining an angle of repose of the machine for each payload material, the determining being performed by the controller.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving data indicative of the payload material via an operator interface in communication with the controller.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising measuring a slope upon which the machine is positioned, and estimating an amount of the payload material in the machine,
the measuring being performed by an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and the estimating being performed by the controller.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising generating the rollover angle of the machine based on the measured slope and the estimated amount of the payload material, the generating being performed by the controller.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising comparing the rollover angle to the determined angle of repose, the comparing being performed by the controller.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising sending a signal to an operator interface to notify an operator of the machine if the rollover angle is less than or equal to the determined angle of repose, the sending being performed by the controller.

19. A hauling machine, comprising: a body configured to hold a payload material; an operator cab housing an operator interface, the operator interface configured to receive input from and output data to an operator of the machine; a frame configured to support the body and the operator cab; a plurality of ground engaging members configured to support the frame; an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to detect a loading event of a payload material into the body, detect a discharge event of a payload material from the body, measure a body angle of the machine, and measure a slope upon which the machine is positioned; and a controller in communication with the operator interface and the IMU, the controller configured to: send signals to the operator interface to prompt the operator to select a type of payload material; receive data from the operator interface indicative of the type of payload material; determine an angle of repose for the type of payload material based on data received from the IMU indicative of a measured body angle when a discharge event is detected, the determined angle of repose being based on one or more angles of repose, the one or more angles of repose being stored in a memory associated with the controller; estimate a mass of a payload material in the body based at least in part on data received from the IMU indicative of a detected loading event; calculate a center of gravity of the machine based at least in part on the estimated mass of the payload material and data received from the IMU indicative of the measured slope; generate a rollover angle based on the calculated center of gravity of the machine; compare the rollover angle to the determined angle of repose for the type of payload material; and prevent rollover of the hauling machine by disabling commands to raise the body and sending signals to the operator interface to notify the operator when the rollover angle is less than or equal to the determined angle of repose for the type of payload material.

20. The hauling machine of claim 19 , wherein the frame includes a front frame configured to support the operator cab, a rear frame configured to support the body, and an articulation joint between the front frame and the rear frame.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Landes James
• Schwartz Timothy

Classifications

• G01M1/122 Primary

  Determining position of centre of gravity · CPC title

• B60P1/28 Primary

  Tipping body constructions · CPC title

• B60P1/045 Primary

  Levelling or stabilising systems for tippers (suspensions with levelling or stabilising means for vehicles in general B60G17/00, B60G21/00, using ground-engaging vehicle fittings B60S9/00) · CPC title

• G01M17/007

  Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles (G01M17/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01M1/12

  Static balancing; Determining position of centre of gravity (by determining imbalance G01M1/14) · CPC title