Patents by Inventor Nathaniel S. Doy

Nathaniel S. Doy 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).

  • Publication number: 20220334581
    Abstract: A method for control of a compacting machine including a ground-engaging implement and a compacting drum includes receiving a request to activate the compacting machine, receiving a command to propel the compacting machine, and automatically generating a command to move the implement to a raised position in which the implement does not engage the ground based on: the request to activate the compacting machine, the command to propel the compacting machine, or a determination that the implement is below a threshold height. The method also includes, once the implement is in the raised position, propelling the compacting machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nathaniel S. DOY
  • Patent number: 11453984
    Abstract: A reclaimer has a frame and a plurality of wheels connected to the frame. The reclaimer has a drum chamber connected to the frame and including movable door. The reclaimer has a milling drum positioned within the drum chamber. The milling drum engages with a ground surface. The reclaimer has an engine that rotates the milling drum and propels the wheels such that material exits the drum chamber from under the movable door. Further, the reclaimer has a controller that determines a position of the movable door based on at least one of a machine characteristic and a predetermined gradation for the material exiting from the drum chamber, and selectively adjusts an actuator associated with the movable door based on the determined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Jason W. Muir, Nathaniel S. Doy, Matthew S. Frantz
  • Patent number: 11408136
    Abstract: A rotary mixer includes a frame. The rotary mixer also includes a milling enclosure supported by the frame. The milling enclosure includes a side plate. The rotary mixer further includes a rotor disposed within the milling enclosure. The rotary mixer includes at least one vibration device coupled to the milling enclosure. The at least one vibration device is arranged to induce vibrations in at least one component of the milling enclosure for resisting accumulation of debris on the at least one component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew-David S. Frantz, Derek Peter Nieuwsma, Nathaniel S. Doy, Dustin William Sondreal, Jason W. Muir
  • Patent number: 11401664
    Abstract: A milling machine having a height-adjustable machine body includes a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, a plurality of traction elements, a milling rotor assembly; and a machine height sensor system. The machine height sensor system includes a plurality of laterally adjustable machine height sensors and a plurality of position sensors, each associated with a respective height sensor and measuring a lateral extent of the height sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Jason W. Muir, Nathaniel S. Doy
  • Publication number: 20220186447
    Abstract: A milling machine includes a cutting rotor accommodated in a rotor enclosure having side plates that are vertically adjustable with respect to a machine frame. To adjust the vertical elevation of the side plates, a plurality of sensors is mounted on the machine frame and associated with an electronic controller that measures and processes the vertical distance between the side plates and work surface. The electronic controller operates a hydraulic system to adjust the vertical distance between the side plates and the work surface. To accommodate changes in work surface topography, the hydraulic system includes a float circuit with an accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Jason W. Muir, Derek P. Nieuwsma, Nathaniel S. Doy, Matthew-David S. Frantz
  • Publication number: 20220186448
    Abstract: A milling machine having a height-adjustable machine body includes a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, a plurality of traction elements, a milling rotor assembly; and a machine height sensor system. The machine height sensor system includes a plurality of laterally adjustable machine height sensors and a plurality of position sensors, each associated with a respective height sensor and measuring a lateral extent of the height sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Jason W. MUIR, Nathaniel S. DOY
  • Patent number: 11353111
    Abstract: A rotary mixer can include a frame, a rotor attached to the frame, four wheels attached to the frame for moving the rotary mixer, and a drive system for driving the four wheels, the drive system can include four independent hydrostatic drive loops, each of the independent hydrostatic drive loops associated with one of the wheels such that each one of the independent hydrostatic drive loops independently drives one of the four wheels; wherein the drive system includes a pressure balance mode of operation for relatively good traction ground or road conditions, and a wheel speed synchronization mode of operation for relatively poor traction ground or road conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Olson, Corwin E. Storer, Ryan A. Enot, Matthew-David S. Frantz, Derek P. Nieuwsma, Rustin G. Metzger, Nathaniel S. Doy
  • Publication number: 20220162815
    Abstract: A reclaimer has a frame and a plurality of wheels connected to the frame. The reclaimer has a drum chamber connected to the frame and including movable door. The reclaimer has a milling drum positioned within the drum chamber. The milling drum engages with a ground surface. The reclaimer has an engine that rotates the milling drum and propels the wheels such that material exits the drum chamber from under the movable door. Further, the reclaimer has a controller that determines a position of the movable door based on at least one of a machine characteristic and a predetermined gradation for the material exiting from the drum chamber, and selectively adjusts an actuator associated with the movable door based on the determined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR PAVING PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Jason W. MUIR, Nathaniel S. DOY, Matthew S. FRANTZ
  • Publication number: 20220042255
    Abstract: A milling machine is provided comprising a frame including a plurality of height-adjustable legs; a rotor; a rotor chamber including a movable front wall, a movable rear wall, and a pair of movable side walls; and a controller. The controller is configured to enable a rotor chamber binding control during on a lowering of the rotor towards a ground surface; automatically raising at least one of the front wall or the rear wall during the lowering of the rotor; and disable the rotor chamber binding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel S. DOY, Lee M. HOGAN, Austin R. BIES
  • Patent number: 11168750
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a rotary mixer is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Schlenker, Jason W. Muir, Ryan A. Enot, Jacob M. Saari, Derek Nieuwsma, Nathaniel S. Doy, Lee M. Hogan
  • Publication number: 20210299807
    Abstract: A machine for milling pavement such as a rotary mixer or road planer includes a cutting rotor that is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame and that is accommodated in a rotor enclosure. The milling machine may be associated with a visual camera network having one or more cameras located about the milling machine with a field of view toward the rotor enclosure and work surface. An image augmentation system can generate a reference line augmentation to superimpose over one or more visual images obtained by the cameras and display the augmented images on a visual display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nathaniel S. Doy
  • Publication number: 20210285468
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR PAVING PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Nathaniel S. DOY, Hyppolite KUISSI, JR., Lee M. HOGAN
  • Publication number: 20210283971
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR PAVING PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Nathaniel S. DOY, Hyppolite KUISSI, Lee M. HOGAN
  • Patent number: 11041276
    Abstract: An implement with a ground-engaging tool may include a frame supported above a surface of a ground by a ground-engaging portion and a suspension, a tool supported by and adjustable relative to the frame and configured for working the ground, a housing arranged around portions of the tool and secured to the frame, and a monitor system configured for identifying an exposed condition of the tool. A method of managing an exposed condition of a ground-engaging tool and a method of operating an implement with a ground-engaging tool are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel S. Doy, Lee M. Hogan, Jason W. Muir, Hyppolite Kuissi, Jacob M. Saari
  • Patent number: 10960938
    Abstract: A mobile machine having a machine frame with a lateral outer wall, an operator station having an outer side edge, an actuating system configured to move the operator station between a retracted position and a fully extended position that is laterally outward of the retracted position, wherein in the fully extended position, the outer side edge is a first distance outward of the lateral outer wall, a moveable component moveable between a first position and a second position, a sensor configured to send a signal indicative of the moveable component being in the first position, and a controller configured to limit the distance the operator station may move laterally outward of the retracted position to a second distance in response to receiving the signal from the sensor, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel S. Doy, Lee M. Hogan, Nicholas B. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10876260
    Abstract: An implement with a ground-engaging tool may include a frame supported above a surface of a ground by a ground-engaging portion and a suspension and a tool supported by and adjustable relative to the frame and configured for working the ground. The implement may also include a plurality of ground sensors configured for capturing distance measurements to determine the position of the frame relative to the surface and a control and monitor system configured for establishing a nominal scratch position of the tool relative to the surface based on the distance measurements. A method of controlling a rotor tool depth of a milling machine and a method of operating a milling machine are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Jason W. Muir, Nathaniel S. Doy, Lee M. Hogan, Matthew-David S. Frantz, Brian J. Schlenker, Derek P. Nieuwsma
  • Patent number: 10844557
    Abstract: An implement with a ground-engaging tool may include a frame, a ground-engaging portion for supporting the frame on a surface of ground, and a suspension system coupling the ground-engaging portion to the frame and for adjusting the frame relative to the ground-engaging portion. The implement may also include a tool supported by and adjustable relative to the frame and configured for working the ground. The implement may also include a control and monitor system configured for establishing a nominal position of the tool relative to the surface and for establishing an actual position of the tool relative to the surface based on an offset adjustment. A method of determining a rotor tool depth of a milling machine and a method of operating a milling machine may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel S. Doy, Lee M. Hogan, Jason W. Muir, Hyppolite Kuissi, Matthew-David S. Frantz
  • Patent number: 10845889
    Abstract: A method for enabling use of a plurality of common keypads on a working machine is disclosed. The method can comprise: providing a controller, a plurality of displays and the plurality of common keypads for use with the plurality of displays on the working machine, the plurality of common keypads having a same hardware configuration and a same firmware configuration as one another; communicating between the controller, the plurality of common keypads and the plurality of displays using a common data link; and associating over the common data link, a one of the plurality of displays with at least one of the plurality of common keypads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Lee M. Hogan, Nathaniel S. Doy
  • Publication number: 20200308782
    Abstract: An implement with a ground-engaging tool may include a frame supported above a surface of a ground by a ground-engaging portion and a suspension, a tool supported by and adjustable relative to the frame and configured for working the ground, a housing arranged around portions of the tool and secured to the frame, and a monitor system configured for identifying an exposed condition of the tool. A method of managing an exposed condition of a ground-engaging tool and a method of operating an implement with a ground-engaging tool are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel S. Doy, Lee M. Hogan, Jason W. Muir, Hyppolite Kuissi, Jacob M. Saari
  • Publication number: 20200308781
    Abstract: An implement with a ground-engaging tool may include a frame, a ground-engaging portion for supporting the frame on a surface of ground, and a suspension system coupling the ground-engaging portion to the frame and for adjusting the frame relative to the ground-engaging portion. The implement may also include a tool supported by and adjustable relative to the frame and configured for working the ground. The implement may also include a control and monitor system configured for establishing a nominal position of the tool relative to the surface and for establishing an actual position of the tool relative to the surface based on an offset adjustment. A method of determining a rotor tool depth of a milling machine and a method of operating a milling machine may also be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel S. Doy, Lee M. Hogan, Jason W. Muir, Hyppolite Kuissi, Matthew-David S. Frantz