Patents by Inventor Douglas L. Sloan

Douglas L. Sloan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Electronic inching control strategy
    Patent number: 6647332
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the pressure of an actuating fluid flowing through an inching clutch. The invention includes the steps of determining an actual pressure of the actuating fluid, establishing an inching pressure threshold, comparing the actual pressure with the threshold, and controlling the actual pressure in response to the comparison. In one embodiment, the pressure is controlled using a first control algorithm in response to the fluid pressure being less than an inching threshold, and using a second control algorithm in response to the pressure being greater than or equal to the inching threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: James D. Esterby, Jeffrey T. Ryan, Douglas L. Sloan