Patents Assigned to Caterpillar Paving Products Inc
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Patent number: 11590891Abstract: A control system for a machine includes a machine, a plurality of proximity sensors coupled to the machine, and a controller in communication with the plurality of proximity sensors. The controller is configured to activate and monitor proximity information from the proximity sensors during a containerization mode and indicate an alert if the proximity information is below a threshold distance.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2020Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Terry R. Stoe, Andrew J. Steinbach
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Patent number: 11591759Abstract: A road milling machine includes a milling drum, an enclosure assembly, an actuator, and a controller. The milling drum may modify surface. The enclosure assembly includes a member moveable between a closed state and an open state. In the closed state, the member at least partially encloses the milling drum to direct materials milled by the milling drum to a conveyor. The actuator is adapted to be actuated between a first state and a second state to correspondingly move the member between the closed state and the open state. Further, the controller is configured to detect the closed state of the member; determine a lowering of the milling drum with respect to the surface; and reverse an actuation of the actuator towards the second state to offset and balance out a weight of the member based on the lowering of the milling drum.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2020Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Austin Robert Bies, Nicholas James Argenziano
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Patent number: 11591162Abstract: A conveyor system for a working machines such as a cold planer is disclosed. The working machine that can optionally have a frame, a rotor moveable relative to the frame to remove material from a surface of a working area and the conveyor system. The conveyor system can optionally include a first belt and a second belt. The conveyor system can be positioned to receive loose material from the rotor and transport the loose material relative to the frame away from the rotor. Optionally, the second belt can be positioned adjacent to and extending along the first belt and moveable relative to the frame.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventor: Dario Sansone
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Publication number: 20230055131Abstract: A propelled milling machine includes a cutting rotor that receives power from an internal combustion engine via a rotor drivetrain. To adjust the speed of the cutting rotor, the rotor drivetrain includes a rotor drivetrain transmission operatively associated with a rotor drivetrain lubrication circuit. To regulate temperature of the lubricant, a heat exchanger circuit is associated with the rotor drivetrain lubrication circuit and includes a rotor drivetrain lubricant heat exchanger and a rotor drivetrain lubricant pump assembly. The quantity of lubricant directed to the heat exchanger is regulated based on one or more sensed operating parameters associated with the lubricant.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2021Publication date: February 23, 2023Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Nathaniel S. Doy, Derek P. Nieuwsma, Brian J. Schlenker, Matthew-David S. Frantz
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Patent number: 11585052Abstract: A milling machine may have a frame, first and second ground engagement members connected through respective, vertically adjustable leg columns to a front end of the frame, and third and fourth ground engagement members connected through respective, vertically adjustable leg columns to a rear end of the frame. Each vertically adjustable leg column includes a hydraulic cylinder connecting the frame and the associated ground engagement member. A milling drum is attached to the frame between the front and rear ends. At least one pair of the leg columns connected to the front end of the frame or the leg columns connected to the rear end of the frame includes an accumulator associated with each of the at least one pair of leg columns, a fluid conduit fluidly connecting a bore end of each of the hydraulic cylinders to the associated accumulator, and a control valve disposed in the fluid conduit and configured to control a flow of fluid between the hydraulic cylinders and the associated accumulators.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Derek Peter Nieuwsma, Nicholas James Argenziano, Jason William Muir, Timothy Jay Lindholm
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Patent number: 11585049Abstract: A screed assembly, for a paving machine, may include a frame, a main screed and a screed plate. Additionally, the screed assembly may include an overload support system mounted on the screed assembly. Further, the overload support system may be configured to contact the surface extending beneath the screed assembly and to support the screed assembly during transport on the surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2019Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventor: Ryan Schuette
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Patent number: 11585053Abstract: A mobile milling machine includes a cutting rotor disposed along a rotor drum delineating a drum rotation axis and accommodated in a rotor chamber delineated by chamber enclosure. To rotatably support the rotor drum with respect to the chamber enclosure, the rotor drum can include a bearing end and the chamber enclosure can include a bearing bore that are adapted to form a drum bearing assembly. The drum bearing assembly may include a bearing hub and a bushing configured to make a sliding frictional contact along complementary taper surfaces. The floating bushing may be floatingly retained in a chamber door of the chamber enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Ryan S. Hutar, Craig T. Hedstrom, Nicholas B. Johnson
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Publication number: 20230051433Abstract: A milling machine includes a rotor drive transmission having a plurality of gears disposed between a prime mover and a cutting rotor. The rotor drive transmission is associated with a rotor transmission hydraulic circuit including a hydraulic gearshift actuator to engage the plurality of gears in one or more gear ratios and a gearshift directional control valve to direct hydraulic fluid to and from the hydraulic gearshift actuator. In occurrence of a fault condition, the rotor transmission hydraulic circuit includes a gearshift trapping valve to maintain hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic gear actuator and the engaged gear ratio of the rotor drive transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2021Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Derek P. Nieuwsma, Nathaniel S. Doy, Brian J. Schlenker, Ryan A. Enot
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Patent number: 11578737Abstract: A milling machine may have a frame, ground engaging tracks that support the frame, and an actuator that adjusts a height of the frame relative to the track. The milling machine may have a control valve that selectively controls a flow of fluid into or out of the actuator based on the current supplied to the control valve. The milling machine may have a controller that determines the amount of current required to operate the actuator at a nominal actuator velocity and supplies that current to the control valve. The controller determines a measured actuator velocity based on a time required to extend or retract the actuator by a predetermined length, and adjusts the amount of current based on the measured and nominal actuator velocities. The controller also supplies the adjusted amount of current to the control valve to adjust the height of the frame relative to the track.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Nathaniel S. Doy, Hyppolite Kuissi, Lee M. Hogan
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Patent number: 11572947Abstract: In some implementations, a controller may cause a gearbox coupled to a rotor to shift between a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio one or more times. The controller may obtain a first set of position data that identifies respective first positions of a gear selector of the gearbox for each shift to the first gear ratio, and a second set of position data that identifies respective second positions of the gear selector of the gearbox for each shift to the second gear ratio. The controller may determine a first calibrated position of the gear selector for a shift to the first gear ratio based on the first set of position data and a second calibrated position of the gear selector for a shift to the second gear ratio based on the second set of position data.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2021Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Ryan Adam Enot, Nathaniel Doy, Brian Joe Schlenker
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Patent number: 11572665Abstract: A milling system for a milling machine includes at least one cutting assembly configured to be coupled to a drum. Each of the cutting assemblies includes a base portion and an impact portion. The base portion includes a standoff coupled to the drum, a first base block coupled to the standoff, and a second base block coupled to the standoff at a position upstream of the first base block in a direction of rotation of the drum and at angle from the first base block. The impact portion includes a cutting bit and a tool holder coupled to the first base block, and a protective element coupled to the second base block.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2021Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventor: Dustin W. Sondreal
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Patent number: 11573126Abstract: In one aspect, a method of determining lateral edges of an asphalt mat deposited by a paving machine includes obtaining thermal image data of the asphalt mat at a thermal measuring device associated with the paving machine, and determining, on the paving machine, the lateral edges of the asphalt mat based on a threshold temperature value and the thermal image data. Other aspects include a method of generating a thermal map of an asphalt mat formed by paving machine, and a system for determining lateral edges of an asphalt mat deposited by a paving machine.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Mark A. Tarvin, Jacob J. McAlpine, John L. Marsolek, Sivakumar P. Shanmugasundaram
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Patent number: 11572663Abstract: A control device may obtain sensing data related to a paving material mat region laid by a screed assembly of a road paver. The control device may determine, based on the sensing data, a respective texture value and/or a respective height value associated with each portion of two or more portions of the paving material mat region. The control device may determine, based on the respective texture values and/or the respective height values of the paving material mat region, a finish value associated with the paving material mat region. The control device may cause, based on the finish value of the paving material mat region, one or more actions to be performed.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Patrick J. Weiler, Kevin M. Adams
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Patent number: 11572662Abstract: An asphalt paver may include a tractor and a screed configured for towing behind the tractor. The screed may include a tow arm secured to the tractor at an adjustable tow point. The paver may also include a monitoring system configured for monitoring and displaying the position of the adjustable tow point. The monitoring system may include a sensor arranged at or near the tow point for sensing the position of the tow point and a computing system in communication with the sensor for displaying the position of the adjustable tow point. A method of paving involving adjusting paving parameters to avoid or compensate for movement in the tow point is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2021Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Todd W Mansell, Jonathan A Anderson
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Patent number: 11567173Abstract: A system for increasing lidar sensor coverage for use by a vehicle is described herein. The system includes a two lidar sensors oriented to emit light beams toward a surface proximate the vehicle. The system also includes at least one mirror associated with each lidar sensor configured to reflect light beams emitted away from the surface. The at least one mirror reflects the light beams toward the surface, thereby increasing lidar sensor coverage associated with the respective lidar sensor. The lidar sensors receive lidar returns, either directly from the surface or reflected off the mirror and may generate sensor data associated with an area proximate the vehicle. A vehicle computing system controls the vehicle based in part on the sensor data.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Todd A. Impola, Timothy M. O'Donnell
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Patent number: 11566387Abstract: A milling machine has a frame, ground engaging tracks that support the frame, a first actuator connecting the frame to a first track of the ground engaging tracks and a second actuator connecting the frame to a second track from the ground engaging tracks. The milling machine has an orientation sensor that determines an orientation of the frame. The milling machine has a controller that operates the first and second actuators to raise or lower the frame. The controller determines the frame orientation using the orientation sensor. The controller also determines a velocity error between actuator velocities of the first and second actuators based on the frame orientation and a target orientation of the frame. The controller determines a control parameter for the second actuator based on the velocity error and operates the second actuator using the determined control parameter.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Nathaniel S. Doy, Hyppolite Kuissi, Lee M. Hogan
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Patent number: 11566574Abstract: A system and method includes a paving machine, a vehicle, and one or more controllers. The paving machine includes an engine for powering the paving machine and the vehicle is associated with the paving machine. The one or more controllers are configured to determine an estimated time of arrival for the vehicle at the paving machine based on a location of the vehicle; identify a startup time for the paving machine, wherein the startup time comprises a time period between starting the engine of the paving machine and an operational parameter of the paving machine reaching a threshold value; and generate an indication to shut down the engine of the paving machine if the startup time for the paving machine is less than the estimated time of arrival of the vehicle associated with the paving machine.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventor: Nathan K. Just
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Patent number: 11560676Abstract: A method of determining optimal frequency to load haul trucks can include a central controller receiving an indication of the amount of paving material at a paving machine, and an indication of production rate of the paving machine. The central controller can then determine when more paving material should be provided to the paving machine. Based on this determination, the central controller can provide alerts or triggers to a paving material plant to indicate when haul trucks should be loaded to provide additional paving materials to the paving machine.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2019Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Jacob J. McAlpine, John L. Marsolek, Muthushankar Raghunathan
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Patent number: 11554791Abstract: A test system includes a master electronic control module (ECM) configured to receive user input for performing a test action. The master ECM determines one or more subsystem ECMs associated with the requested test action and a sequence of operations to be controlled by the subsystem ECMs to perform the requested test action. The master ECM provides instructions to the subsystem ECMs to perform the operations, along with parameters for those operations. The master ECM may determine whether a test action is appropriate to perform, based on sensor data, before instructing subsystem ECMs to perform the operations of the test action.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Robert J. McGee, Kyle D. Hendricks, Timothy M. O'Donnell
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Patent number: D978739Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.Inventors: Michael S. Hemry, Federico B. Rio, Jason W. Muir, Zachary J. Vrchota, Roger Hedlund, Brian Schlenker